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    Mai Lee

    4.1 (1.3k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Mai Lee Photos

    Business Info

    MAI LEE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Mai Lee

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    Strawberry Lemon Drop
    Stacie W.

    Mai Lee has been a staple in the St. Louis area for years, and I've been coming here for a long time, including for date nights. As a family-owned restaurant, it has a warm, welcoming atmosphere and an extensive menu with plenty of Vietnamese dishes to choose from. The food is generally good, although it can be a bit hit-or-miss depending on what you order. Most of the time, I leave satisfied, and there are several dishes that keep me coming back. The service can also vary depending on who you get, but one consistent highlight is the female owner. If you're lucky enough to sit at the bar when she's there, she'll make sure you're taken care of and goes out of her way to make guests feel welcome. What keeps me returning is the combination of the large menu selection, and the comfortable atmosphere. While not every visit is perfect, Mai Lee remains a local favorite that's worth trying, especially if you're looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine and a place with a long-standing reputation in the community. One of my longtime favorites was the chicken bánh mì, although I haven't had it in a while. My absolute favorite item on the menu is the shrimp spring rolls. They're always fresh, flavorful, and paired with a delicious dipping sauce that keeps me ordering them every visit. While not every experience is perfect, Mai Lee has earned its place as a local favorite with its family-owned charm, extensive menu, and dishes that keep customers coming back year after year. The shrimp spring rolls alone are worth the trip!

    Nordia B.

    My mom & I went to lunch. I decided to try out this spot because I've heard raves about it. While the food was very flavorful, I think services could be a little warmer and more intentional. For example, my has a Jamaican accent, when the server came to the table to get our drink orders (we haven't had the chance to checked the menu as of yet) she began to to state her request and his initial tone was kind of aggressive. He could have simple ask for her to repeat. I will say his, attitude got better with each interaction there after and he frequently checked on us and offered to go containers and drinks for the road. Pros: Beautiful restaurant. Located close to the shopping centers in Brentwood

    Pho
    Martina G.

    If you're looking for good Asian food around Brentwood this is for you. They literally have more than 200 selections for Vietnamese and Chinese food . Service is best specially Sam, I love her and I simply love this place too. My fav place I miss them so much now I moved to different state !!

    Thai tea
    Kay S.

    Great take. Friendly and fast service, clean and friendly environment. And great food, the bun no hue was amazing, the curry dish was great, drinks were good and desert was the best. Zero complaints will absolutely be back.

    Elijah R.

    It was good. "STL style" fried rice from a restaurant is hard to find. It was decent. The general tso chicken was good. The portions filled me good.

    Vinny M.

    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

    Lychee martini
    Ava D.

    I'm not sure what his name is, but our server was excellent! I had the teriyaki chicken and it was so flavorful. The music was at a nice volume and none of the customers were loud. It was such a good experience :)

    No. 165
    Byron C.

    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.

    Shrimp St. Paul
    Shalaunte W.

    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.

    95 chicken with bamboo in garlic sauce
    Austin S.

    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.

    Chicken pho, spring rolls
    Andrea J.

    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!

    Shrimp Pho
    Desiree R.

    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

    Vit Ca Ry
    Cleo G.

    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.

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    2 months ago

    Small portion and expensive. A pho only has two meatballs (sliced into 8 little chunks)

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    4 months ago

    This is my go to spot in Brentwood. I always get extra cilantro. Everything tastes homemade. It's fantastic!

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    4 months ago

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

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    Page 2 of 34

    Mai Lee Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Mai Lee

    Do they serve Hainanese chicken?

    What menu on the website should I look at for Saturday lunch?

    Due to the pandemic, I would call them to verify

    Is a fire pot the same thing as hot pot?

    I don't think so...I believe the fires they have a burner going under it when they deliver to the table.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Chilispot - Spicy Pork Knuckle

    Chilispot

    4.5(325 reviews)
    3.1 mi
    $$

    ChiliSpot was absolutely fantastic! We started with the wontons, then had the popcorn chicken,…read morechicken stir-fry, and sizzling pepper beef, and honestly everything we ordered was excellent. The food came out fresh, hot, and packed with flavor. The popcorn chicken was crispy and perfectly seasoned, the stir-fry was delicious, and the sizzling pepper beef was easily one of the highlights -- incredibly flavorful and cooked perfectly. The portions were generous, everything tasted fresh, and there wasn't a single disappointing dish on the table. This was our first time trying ChiliSpot and it absolutely lived up to the recommendation. One of those places where you're already looking at the menu deciding what you want to try next time before you've even finished your meal. Fantastic food, great experience, and an easy 5 stars. We'll absolutely be back!

    For two people, this is my go to order:…read more *Deep fried handmade tofu with special sauce (17.95) *Sautéed lamb with cumin (19.95) *Storm fish fillet (19.95) The lamb has enough of the "wetness" and vegetables to eat and mix with the rice. The lamb pieces used to be small but they are huge now! Appreciate the owners taking the feedback. I think they make the tofu in house. They are huge thick soft pieces with enough crispness on the outside. It's a good introduction to how seriously Chinese people take tofu and how in other countries they have a huge variety of tofu, vs the select few we have in the U.S. And I used to be partial to the spicy fried fish at cate zone, but chilispot has upgrade this dish a lot. It's perfectly crispy and hot!!! Even if you don't like fish, it's a great dish and also makes for great leftovers. I know the fried chicken is popular but I find the chicken pieces are too small. Even with two heavy eaters, we still have leftovers for another meal

    Photos
    Chilispot - The dining table with the menu.

    The dining table with the menu.

    Chilispot - Chicken Chefs Special Stir Fried Chicken 1804

    Chicken Chefs Special Stir Fried Chicken 1804

    Chilispot - Whole Fish

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    Whole Fish

    New China - C11. Chicken Lo Mein Dinner Combination Plate 20. Hot and Sour Soup

    New China

    4.3(147 reviews)
    4.3 miTower Grove South
    $

    It was a mistake to try Chinese food on Christmas Day. I hadn't planned ahead and hadn't gotten…read moregroceries, and a Jewish friend of mine mentioned his Chinese food tradition, so I figured I'd give this place a shot. Maybe they're fine on other days, but it took two and a half hours for my meal to be ready, long after the quoted time online. I sat outside in my car for a while when I went to pick it up, and the place was totally packed with people waiting for their food. Perhaps they should have capped orders or something? I'm sure they were exhausted and working nonstop. The pepper chicken was pretty good, except it was missing the egg I paid to add, as well as the rice. After waiting so long, I was really annoyed about the order missing the extras. It was an extra $5 to order online, too. I'm giving them grace because they were way overworked that night, and the food was pretty good. But they definitely need to cap orders or give more accurate time estimates. There were a lot of furious (probably hangry) people there who left without their orders.

    So, I got delivery, pretty late...the food was hot and fresh! It was delicious, and I literally got…read morethree meals out of my one order of General Tso's chicken. And they include a free small side! I got crab Rangoon, then ordered another order of it, knowing that a small side wouldn't be enough. To my surprise, in total, even if I had not gotten the extra couple of pieces, it would have been enough! And their crab Rangoon is also delicious! I will definitely be ordering from then again! I've been looking for a new Chinese spot that delivers on Sunday, since that's apparently the only day I crave Chinese food, and most restaurants are closed on Sunday, which is another reason why I really like this place!!!

    Photos
    New China - C12. Sweet and Sour Pork combo

    C12. Sweet and Sour Pork combo

    New China - 9. Fried Dumpling

    9. Fried Dumpling

    New China - 90. Moo Shu Vegetable

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    90. Moo Shu Vegetable

    Movoc

    Movoc

    4.5(48 reviews)
    2.7 miThe Loop

    Came here on Wednesday night and it was pretty busy but we got a table easily. I've never been to a…read moreplace like this before so it was a little bit of a learning experience. You grab a bowl and start putting in whatever ingredients you want. They have a lot of different items that you can choose from. They have a weight minimum, which I think should be pretty easy to hit. Once you have all your toppings, they weigh your bowl and you pick out your soup broth. I really don't like spice so I went with the tomato soup base and it had a good flavor and a little bit of spice but definitely not too much. my friend got the sweet and spicy soup broth and it tasted delicious, but would've been too spicy for me. The food came out pretty quickly. They have a station for free rice and water which was really nice. They also had some suckers that you could grab as a little treat on your way out. I would definitely come here again, but it is a little bit pricey your bowl is gonna start around $16 and go up depending on the weight. Everything is super fresh and delicious so it is worth the cost.

    This is one of my go-to spots for a hangout, it's wonderful. There's enough seating, and the hotpot…read moreis easily shareable. I flinch whenever I hear the "movoc" and I get so excited I want to throw up whenever someone suggests going to movoc for a hangout. There are lots of toppings to choose from, and I think that the concept of hot pot price by weight just like FroYo is fun and unique. Service is fast, and clean. The hot pot was delicious and not too spicy and the sauces they had to offer were very delicious as well. Not too salty. It's a wonderful place, whether you go alone or with friends.

    Photos
    Movoc
    Movoc - Sour and spicy.

    Sour and spicy.

    Movoc - Outside

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    Outside

    Mai Lee - vietnamese - Updated September 2026

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