Amazing food spot similar to chipotle but Vietnamese. So many great options and so well priced. The Mamas Mai chicken is a great basic option that's very tasty! Got the beef spring rolls that were amazing and so yummy! Service was very great and helpful and the vibe is extremely casual! A great quick food spot for a healthy meal! read more

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The BYOB (Build your own bowl) is similar concept to Chipotle or Cava but with a Vietnamese twist. You pick the base, protein, toppings, and sauce. The spring rolls are also fresh & tasty and go well with the peanut sauce. Great place to pick up some refreshing and healthy food. Friendly staff that work there. They have limited seating indoors but, there's a lovely outdoor seating area in the back which is a shared space with the coffee shop next door. As for parking there is paid meter parking near the front of the store and around the block but can get packed if you go around peak hours of lunch or dinnertime. read more

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Looks like the physical location is closed but I was able to order on doordash. I got a build your own bowl with beef and noodles with a ton of vegetables, and double the beef (as I wanted leftovers). They filled up the bowl really well and I appreciated the freshness of the vegetables and detected lemongrass in the beef marinade. However, the sauces could have been better- more fish sauce notes in their namesake sauce, and the tamarind sauce was quite sweet. At home I added some sambal to balance it out. Lastly, some pieces of beef were a bit gristley and hard to chew. Overall a somewhat satisfying meal but the taste could definitely improve. read more

My Lai - Venice - Build Your Own Beef Bowl with double the beef - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

The food itself was just okay. We tried the pho tacos, and they were extremely dry, hard to chew and swallow, almost like beef jerky. Maybe it was because we went an hour before closing, but they really weren't good. The bowls were hearty and tasty, though nothing exceptional. I do like the concept--it's like a Vietnamese-style Cava. The staff were helpful with suggestions, and the sauces were good. read more

My Lai - Venice - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I was planning to go to the Hollywood location of My Lai Kitchen but I found out that it closed up for good. So I decided to come to the Venice location of my Lai Kitchen. The food is excellent and please support this business. Basically this place is a Vietnamese version of Chipotle. read more

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Always a solid choice for lunch or dinner. They give you great portions I always split my bowl into two servings. Their pickled cucumber is the best! I go here at least twice a month! Make sure to get the garlic rice and pork with pickled cucumbers. The fish sauce and the cilantro sauce mixed is the best combo. read more

My Lai - Venice - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

A Soggy Saga of Disappointment I'm still trying to process what exactly I was served when I ordered the so-called "Bomb Banh Mi." Honestly, this sandwich could've filed for dual citizenship, as a soup. The baguette, once presumably crispy and full of hope, had disintegrated into a limp, soggy relic of what bread should be. It collapsed under the weight of its own sauce, as if it just gave up halfway through. RIP, baguette--you never stood a chance. Naturally, I asked if the sandwich was supposed to be so soggy and fall apart. The sandwich maker, with unnerving confidence, replied, "Yes, because of the sauce." Ah yes. The sauce. Equal parts villain and accomplice. And here's where the heartbreak deepens: a bánh mì is not some fragile, fussy dish. A proper bánh mì is a crisp, crackly baguette that shatters just slightly with each bite. Messing up a bánh mì is like overcooking instant noodles or burning toast: it just takes effort. Now let's talk dollars and nonsense. At $13, this sandwich was already priced like it had aspirations. But then came a surprise $2 upcharge for beef... which the menu clearly listed as the default protein. And then, dear reader, came the plum soda. I ordered it with visions of a tangy, sweet-sour goodness a plum soda delivers. Instead, I was served what I can only describe as the ghost of a dried plum that had been carbonated out of pure spite. The one bright spot? The staff thanked us warmly on the way out--which was oddly touching, considering I'd just paid good money to suffer. read more

My Lai - Venice - Soggy bánh mì fell apart after two bites - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Not a review writer but I've exhausted all of my options. Loved their food until my online order experience just a few days ago. I ordered on their website to pick up, received a confirmation text & estimated time for pickup. Drove to Venice only to find a closed restaurant. ??? You can imagine my confusion. The kicker is that I still got CHARGED for... Inconvenience, wasted time/energy, & no food. ??????!!!!! What is that about ????? Tried responding to the automated texts, the store phone just doesn't even ring, even dm'ed on instagram and zero responses. No avenue for customer support of any kind. The fact that I'll have to get myself over there to even inform them of this issue - as if this hasn't been a massive inconvenience already - is simply beyond me. TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY read more

This is one of my go to spots in west LA! If you're looking for a healthy and filling Vietnamese style bowl, this is the place to go. The portions are so big that I can enjoy it for 2 meals. I always make my own bowl and get half rice, half salad as my base. For protein, I choose the pork and crispy tofu. Then add all of the sides! It becomes this beautiful bowl with bursting flavors. The server I had today was so kind and cheerful. I don't know her name but she's great! read more

My Lai - Venice - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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One of my favorite LA Vietnamese places. As a Viet-Am from LA county, it's super hard to find good Viet food because everything is compared to Orange County. But this place is special and unique and I never seen in OC. Think of chipotle but Viet. They have different bases such as garlic rice, brown rice, salad, and the best option vermicelli noodles. There are also several choice of protein, I personally get the grilled pork because it compliments the vermicelli noodles the best. They have a variety of topping you can add on for free similar to a poke bar toppings. And they have a variety of sauces, but being honest their nuoc mam is the best (they call it vinegarette which I don't know why *shake my head in viet*) The service is very kind, friendly, and super helpful! And it is a small shop so don't expect much, but there is tables inside and a couple outside! Highly reccomend this unique take on Viet food and a great place to start for people wanting to try Viet food for the first time! read more

My Lai - Venice - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I love their bahn mi's! It's so good here and the staff is always friendly. Located near other shops and cafes, as well as a farmer's market on the weekends read more

My Lai - Venice - Bahn mi + Mint Jasmine Tea - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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[Review #677] 2023-080 Food Order: BYOB (1/2 garlic rice, 1/2 vermicelli noodles, grilled pork, basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapeños, lime, mint, pickled cabbage, pickled carrots & daikon, pickled onion & habanero, scallions, sunomono, tomatoes, crispy onions, crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro ginger sauce) Bowl Specialist: Magnificent Maria (manager)! Menu/Price: compact menu with slightly higher than normal price points (expected/on par for the westside), though portions are about an extra 1/2 - whole serving, it's considered reasonable. Restroom: gender neutral on the right, just before the exit to the backside patio dining. Parking: lots of metered parking along Venice Blvd., rare availability during lunch/dinner rush. Free on Sundays, all other days are 25¢/15-mins.; look out for signs in the evening for free parking. Trying to clear out my drafts for the year... I learned about Mȳ Lai via a YEE (Review #676) -- of course -- about 2 years ago. Even though I work a couple of miles south of the restaurant, I wouldn't have known about them even though they're located near the busy corner of Venice Blvd. & Centinela Ave. in Mar Vista. Mȳ Lai (= Vietnamese mixed with American aka Ameriasian) is a modern, fast-casual Vietnamese restaurant that's the brainchild of husband & wife team: Shad Davis & Traci Phan-Davis. I love the idea of a bánh mì in a bowl form & one that you can create. It's a simple 4-step process build your own (bánh mì) or bowl (BYOB): 1) Base It (bánh mì, brown rice, cauliflower rice, garlic rice, salad, vermicelli noodles); 2) Meat It (crispy tofu, grilled chicken, grilled pork, Impossible meat, rockin' beef); 3) Top It (veggies: basil, bean sprouts, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapeños, lime, mint, pickled cabbage, pickled carrots & daikon, pickled onion & habanero, scallions, sunomono, tomatoes; crunchies: crispy onions, crispy garlic, crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds); 4) Sauce It (cilantro ginger, honey sriracha, miso sesame, Mỹ Lai vinaigrette, peanut sauce, sesame vinaigrette, tamarind vinaigrette, vegan Mỹ Lai vinaigrette). I had an excellent intro from Maria that I repeated the same deliciousness on my subsequent visits during COVID-19 lockdown. While I didn't enjoy my place of employment, I would have frequented Mỹ Lai more often due to the short distance, generous portions (hefty in weight & volume!), but I left before they reopened. I've been back a couple of times, & my takeout bowls are usually packed to the brim that the lid doesn't stay shut. O_o With a variety of veggie toppings & crunchies, each bowl is "brilliantly" (colored) crafted. Between the grilled pork & chicken, I prefer the pork even though it doesn't have the char/grilled marks of the thịt nướng that I'm used to. The pickled veggies were crisp but a bit muted in acidity, needed the pickled onions & habaneros for some oomph of chili heat. I liked the flavorful cilantro ginger dressing best; if you do a combo, I would advise an 80:20 sesame & tamarind vinaigrette mix. The ratio of protein:base & veggies were on point that I had a bite of everything from start to finish... not quite authentic, but certainly satisfying & yummy! They have a Maine Root Soda Fountain... you gotta try the mexicane cola! Not in my neck of the woods, but I'll stop by Mȳ Lai when I'm infrequently in the area. Recommended: BYOB (better bargain & more food than bánh mì). read more

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Really cool spot that everyone needs to check out. It's like a chipotle but for Vietnamese food. You can build your own bowl and it is very refreshing doesn't feel heavy and was yummy with each bite. When here for a lunch break with some coworkers and I must say 10/10 I recommend . The service was really kind and very helpful . They were fast with the order and helpful at the same time. The place gives me coffee shop vibes where they have out door seating kinda makes you feel like you are relaxing in your backyard. Just grab your food find a seat in the back and just enjoy some quiet vibes . You can literally do some work back there... Thank you my lai for an amazing meal and lovely service I will definitely come back again for more read more

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Love a good banh mi... this was not it. Here's just SOME of the fat I pulled out of mine. The meat was inedible, which is kinda the whole point of the sandwich. I had to throw it out. Thankfully doordash refunded me. The thai tea was fine though. read more

My Lai - Venice - Bomb Banh Mi - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

We love My Lai. Always get build your own bowls with chicken for the protein and all the veggies and also order a tofu spring roll. Consistently good and keeps us coming back. read more

My Lai - Venice - Build your own BYO Bowl - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Ordered on your website only to find out you have moved. Turn off your website since all the info is wrong on it Tell me how I can get a refund as you charged my credit card. Super irritating and a sign at your old Venice location doesn't help my situation when I walked to pickup my order. read more

I'm trying to reserve the amount of 5 star reviews I write recently in an attempt to reserve this accolade for really impressive establishments, and after a 5 star hiatus, I'm finally back with a 5/5 for Venice's My Lai location. Usually, chain locations are a hit or miss for me; sometimes a restaurant's so good that a city requires multiple or sometimes a chain varies drastically across locations resulting in an underwhelming experience overall. I'm pleased to say My Lai is the former. Immediately when you walk in, you're greeted by an assortment of vibrant, healthy Pan-Asian toppings including cucumber sunomono to pickled daikon, all of which are guarded behind a glass window. The ordering style is Chipotle-esque as you choose the vessel (bowl or bread) to hold your meat and then proceed to choose however little or many toppings you want. Sometimes BYO places can be lowkey mid as some toppings shine brighter than others, but every vegetable topping My Lai offers is extremely fresh and incredibly tasty. I opted for the chicken banh mi and my boyfriend had the pork bowl with garlic rice. Honestly, everything was fantastic. Absolutely no qualms with this place. On top of that, the portions are huge and the prices incredibly decent. Ugh, if only My Lai set up shop in the bay... read more

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I stopped in at My Lai for lunch and I was throughly pleased . I ordered a Pork Bahn Mi, which was delicious. The baguette was crispy on the outside and soft on the bottom beside,loaded with delicious barbecued pork, fresh veggies, jalapeño peppers and mayonnaise a really delicious sandwich. Each of the staff members greeted me as I walk into the restaurant. Will I go back most definitely. read more

My Lai - Venice - Pork Bahn mi sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Great spot for a quick, healthy, fresh, and satisfying lunch. We opted for the BYO bowls and pork spring rolls. The chicken and beef in the bowls were tender, slightly sweet, and flavorful. The garnishes were fresh, lively, and slightly sour. Overall a very satisfying and balanced bowl. My only wish is that they'd add more protein to the bowls. I would have appreciated more meat. The pork spring rolls were amazing. Some of the best spring rolls that I've ever had. And I loved how large they were. These had every flavor sensation that you'd want in a spring roll. Sweet, salty, sour, and most importantly, delicious. Service is quick. Not a spot to dine-in. But there is a cute, charming patio in the back which is perfect on a sunny day. read more

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It's my second time here. The first time was over two years ago. I've been meaning to get back there and I finally did! Since then, the area has become much more crowded. Lots of other restaurants and a gym in the area so parking is not easy to find, and most of it is metered parking. I went around 7:00 PM on a Thursday. Maybe parking is easier during the day. Don't give up, though, you'll be in for some good food once you get there. You can build your own bowl or go with some bowl combos they have already thought up. I kept it simple and went with Mama Mai's Chicken and Garlic Rice. It was a great choice. The chicken was shredded so it was easy to incorporate into the bow. One of the toughest parts is trying to figure out what kind of sauce/dressing you want to go with it. Seriously, so many no way to really know unless you literally try them which isn't practical. I just went with a miso-flavored dressing. It worked well with what I had although I was longing for something spicy to go with it. Too bad I didn't have a bottle of Siracha with me!! When I got it, the bowl didn't look very big. I didn't think it would be enough good, but I was wrong. It was extremely filling. I barely finished it. My friend did the build-your-own bowl. She had tofu with it. She loved the way they prepared the tofu. It has a nice crunch to it! We had fountain drinks. They have Maine Root sodas. A couple of flavors were unavailable but there were still some good choices left. We ate in the back patio area which is shared with the coffee shop next door (which was closed at the time). It's an OK place to eat and have a chat while you enjoy your delicious My Lai cuisine! They also have some tables and chairs out front, but it would be pretty noisy to eat out there. The staff is super nice. My Lai is certainly worth checking out, especially if you're looking for something more unique. read more

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I travel back and forth from NY to LA often, and this is always one of the first stops I make. Absolutely delicious, fresh food with a really cool ambiance in the back. During a recent visit I was a little disappointed that I couldn't redeem all of these accumulated rewards I have. Not sure if it's coming back or not?? It would suck because I did earn them through being a loyal customer. read more

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A self-described "fast-casual modern Vietnamese kitchen" My Lai is a great place to get fresh, healthy food made to order. I had "Mama Mai's Chicken Garlic Rice" (grilled chicken w/ savory garlic rice, fresh tomato, cucumber, pickled cabbage, pickled carrots & daikon and cilantro. Topped w/ crispy onions and My Lai vinaigrette). It had a wonderful combination of fresh flavors. Highly recommend :) My Son ordered the Build Your Own Bowl, a quick 4-step process (Base, Meat, Topping & Sauce). Also, very fresh & delicious :) We enjoyed Our meals on the shared rear patio which is a calm oasis on busy Venice Blvd. read more

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Go for the pho French dip sandwich, very delicious and satisfying. Service was friendly, patient, and accommodating. Ambiance was clean and smelled delicious. Love the back patio for extra room to eat in the fresh outdoors. read more

My Lai - Venice - Pho french dip sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Vermicelli was delicious! It is on expensive side, but portion is huge. It's not an authentic or original Vietnamese food, but they offer a large selection of sauces for my vermicelli and other dishes which I enjoyed very much. My vermicelli tasted a little different from what I usually get else where. Again, that was fun, and I loved it! read more

My Lai - Venice - Pork/Eggroll Vermicelli Salad - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Been here multiple times. The bowls are great- the pho is good but not the best I've had. Parking can be tricky depending on the time of day. I came back this time for the beef-- but when I got it this time it was fatty and tasted not as good as it used to. It's been over a year since I've had it so I can't pin point it - but it's not the same beef I would come back for. Might be cooked differently or a different cut of beef (?). Tonight was altogether little off - the bathroom was out of service and the staff member who made my bowl was visibly VERY sick with the flu or some nasty bug. Like bloodshot eyes, sniffling and coughing... Granted - she was wearing a mask and gloves (thank you for doing that!) - but management should never keep on employees who are visibly ill - always promote sick pay for your people! Take care of your people- no one wants to spend a pretty penny on your food when it comes with a side of the flu. read more

Straight forward and generous portions ! I only ever get takeout / UberEATS for work, so I can't speak to the in-person service. The pickled Veggies are all great. read more

I was craving a bah mi and didn't really want to drive to the SGV, then I recalled that My Lai was around the corner! I've had them once before, their chicken build-your-own bowl, which I filled with their garlic rice --- I've never wanted to drown myself in rice more than when I had their garlic rice.. SO GOOD! anyways, back to their bah mi - the bread was soft, the sauce was tasty, and the loaded that baby with pickled veggies super yummy and the perfect bah mi for someone too lazy to drive 30 miles out of the city lol read more

My Lai - Venice - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Corporate placed an order 1 day before for a staff lunch, with a confirmation email and everything. The day of, which is today, a staff named Brianna told our coordinator that the order is not in our system. Wth! Our coordinator has the order confirmation email! Apparently this Brianna was also rude to the delivery driver. After being on hold...it turns out that in the restaurant's system--the order was for pickup the day before!!! Wth! End result--a bunch of hangry staff members in a meeting that's about to end in 1 hour. What a waste. I will never order from this restaurant. EVER. read more

My wife and I spent about $40 on lunch, took 1-2 bites each, and had to throw everything out. The food was disgusting and inedible.

My family and I had a great experience here at My Lai thanks to the staff Adrian, Eddie, and Cesar. They really took care of us and went above and beyond. The bánh mìs were delicious, and we'll definitely be coming back because of them. Thank you!! read more

I've been eager to visit My Lai since its opening, but my partner often opted for other spots due to the limited menu options. Recently, while searching for a meal in the Marvista area, I decided it was finally time to give My Lai a try. I ordered dinner for both of us from their preset menu, and we were so impressed that we returned the following day. Beverage: Thai tea 4.5/5 Food: pork Pork/yEggroll Vermicelli Salad 5/5 Mamma Mai's Chicken & Rice 4/5 Pork egg rolls: 4.5/5 Sauce: Peanut (contains fish sauce) N/A Cilantro Ginger (contains fish sauce) 5/5 Honey Sriracha (contains fish sauce) 5/5 Miso sesame N/A Tamarind vinaigrette N/A My Lai vinaigrette (contains fish sauce) sweet chili sauce 4/5 Sesame vinaigrette N/A Your crunch toppings: roasted sesame seeds, peanuts, shallots, and crispy garlic I can't believe I deprived myself of this delicious food for all these years. Lol Service: friendly Cleanliness: great I will definitely be back. Check them out! Worth a try. read more

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Think Vietnamese Chipotle or Cava: you start with a base of rice, noodles, or greens, then add your protein and toppings. As someone who loves Vietnamese food, I absolutely LOVE this place. I get the bowl with lettuce and garlic rice, crispy tofu, and almost all the toppings with My Lai vinaigrette and peanut sauce. Super satisfying, filling, and good for you. Portions are also massive. read more

1. The food is gross. The beef in particular not only smells like human waste but is so dry it actually tastes and has the same texture of cheap beef jerky. Even the chicken is speakably bad 2. The bathroom sink doesn't work and you can't wash your hands. Which means that the employees aren't washing their hands either. Avoid at all costs. I feel sick minutes after leaving. read more

There's no denying it. The food is great. The bowls have incredible flavor... the very best of Vietnamese flavors. But prices have crept up to almost $40 for two bowls. Depending on who you get, your bowl may be big or small. Employees are generally awful. We've never had a genuinely sweet one. And I love dim lighting and I appreciate the lack of bright LED's but the lighting here makes the place look dingy and depressing. I wish you could just come in, be greeted nicely and get a consistent bowl every time. For this reason, we only come about once every other month. read more

Some super delicious Vietnamese food! Everything was super fresh and yummy with some great build your own options. The employees were super kind and very generous with the portions. It's not a huge spot but very clean and cute when it comes to the interior. This spot also has a super cute outdoor patio in the back which makes it perfect for some lunch. I highly recommend everything and definitely say to give this place a go if you're looking for some great Vietnamese food! read more

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Their fresh rolls are some of my favorites in all of La. The build your own bowl is also a great meal. The value is fair too. read more

My Lai - Venice - Fresh Rolls - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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I made my own bowl with noodles, grilled pork, and an assortment of toppings, and it was pretty good! The pork was tender and well seasoned, the toppings were fresh, and the sauces (cilantro and my lai) were tasty. Now I would recommend stopping by for a quick eat, but man the service here is something else. There were 4 people in the store and over 5 employees, so I don't even know how it was this chaotic. My bowl kept getting passed back and forth by random employees until it ended up at the cash register with no protein or toppings since no one ever asked me if I wanted any? Of course I didn't come here to pay $15 for a sad noodle bowl. The employees were all like panicking but no orders were being fulfilled so maybe something was going on behind the scenes. read more

My Lai - Venice - Menu - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

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Delicious, "large" spring rolls with plenty of meat. Be sure to get a spoon for that outstanding peanut sauce! Why didn't itake a photo? They were beautiful. read more

Alright, I have some thoughts on this place. First of all, I don't really appreciate the owners trying to put a "fresh spin" on the phrase "my lai." I think it's highly inappropriate given the history behind this term and even more unsettling that the owners know the history behind it. Speaking on the food, it was just ok. Found the rice to be dry and the choices of pickled veggies were way too acidic. Vietnamese food and even vietnamese fusion food is known to be a balance of all tastes-- salty, sweet, spicy, sour. Well it was just sour. I did like how there were so many sauces, but was not a fan of the miso one. The pork was good, I'll say that, but overall I just did not enjoy my experience, overall food quality and taste, and lack of respect to what actually happened in my lai. read more

My Lai - Venice - Vietnamese Near Me - Los Angeles, California

My Lai is amazing! We ordered it for take out and the food is absolutely fantastic! Service is quick and efficient. Highly recommend my lai if you are on the west side or the Venice area. Highly Recommend: Mama Mai's Chicken Garlic Rice Beefy Salad Bomb Banh Mi with pork Cilantro Ginger My Lai Vinaigrette read more