I've come here a few times including on a busy Mother's Day. To our surprise they were able to sit maybe ten or twelve of us that day after we had called. They have a nice selection of beers including Sapporo which I love and nice selection of wine as well. Service has always been quick and efficient. The food there I have never been disappointed with. I got I believe spare ribs with a side of brown rice and a salad that came with it. We all ordered a selection of three appetizers for every four of us and they were delicious. I believe we did the spring roll and summer roll. For dessert we also did a few desserts including a type of banana bread pudding which was delicious. The Vietnamese espresso with condensed milk in the bottom was especially interesting. You only stir in the amount that you need and the rest stays at the bottom until you need more. Overall I have only had amazing experiences with this place. read more

Saigon Cafe - Vietnamese Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

See all

This is a delicious, authentic and sophisticated bistro-style local restaurant serving fresh and delicious Vietnamese cuisine. Mrs. Lee, the owner, is usually there, very friendly and solicitous, and the waitstaff is friendly and helpful. Specials of the day are brought round on a blackboard placed tableside, and the food is imaginative and dynamic. My favorites are the goi tom thit, a pork, shrimp and jellyfish salad (you can get the jellyfish or not) with a light dressing served over shredded cabbage. Another appetizer or main course is a shredded chicken and mint salad. I usually get the chicken rendang entree, which is spicy and earthy, although the pork chop with prawn chips is heavenly. The salmon in a clay pot is delicate and delicious. Vegetarians will do fine here with numerous fish and noodle offerings. A full bar is also available. The atmosphere is laid back and comfortable. Beers and wines are well priced. A good choice for a date or quick night out. read more

I tried Vietnamese food finally. And It has so many similarities to Thai that you would think the two country's are right next to each other ( update: I have just learned the two country's are right next to each other. As an American I did not study World Geography until college... ) Satire aside... The food at this big bold beautiful place has made me realize the joys of Vietnam. I had some yellow tofu curry. It was fantastic... and the spring rolls were awesome. I want to go inside next time and relax and eat PHO. Someone told me that PHO is the greatest soup ever fathomed but a delivery of it would be both insulting and misrepresented. I will have to schedule some time and slip quietly into a food coma alone and stare at all the happy couples. I hate you happy couples. read more

Just what I was craving tonight. It was not greasy or heavy. I have passed by this place several times and always had reservations about eating here because I never see anyone eating here. I placed my order to go to because I just wanted to go home and veg out. I ordered the Banh Hoi Bo Lui sesame beef dish with noodles. The beef was seasoned to perfection and the jicama was a nice treat. I was very happy with what I ordered and would definitely have it again. read more

I've lived in JC for about 13 years now, and I've been going to Saigon Cafe for about 12. Why? The Lees produce solid, and delicious family-style Vietnamese fare. I bring everyone I know here. I mean everyone. Relatives visiting from the UK, and even Singapore and China. Want to know the mark of a good restaurant? When your visitors from abroad say, "Hey, can we go back to that amazing Vietnamese restaurant you took me to?" Yup. Saigon Cafe is that good. My absolute favorite dish was taken off the menu (crab in tamrand sauce), but I forgive them, since no one else ordered it. I confess I eat at Saigon cafe at least once a week. Their pho is filling and delicious, their chicken and mint salad crisp and refreshing, their pork with rice noodles, sweet and tangy. Man, I just got hungry writing about the pork. Will have to head there for lunch. read more

I wouldn't call this an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. We've been searching for a good Vietnamese place in the area and tried this place with high hopes due to recent reviews. first of all, prices are just too high for what you get. Have you been to real authentic vietnamese places? it's like going to a mexican restaurants and paying $20 a dish... We got beef cubes and salt pepper squid. Beef cubes were just OK. Beef was bit too chewy and sauce wasn't anything special. Salt pepper squids were 4 star worthy with crispy crust and good flavor, while price was too high for its portion. I liked that the place didn't smell and had a good intimate environment. read more

The food here is as good as it gets. I have been coming here for years and it never disappoints. Don't let the exterior/interior fool you, they have authentic Vietnamese dishes you will love. Plus they have a surprising full bar for such a small place. read more

Love it here. Nice spot that was totally unexpected. Friend suggested we go here and I had a great pho (i.e. pork meatball soup) and some tasty apps. Left feeling so full and content. Also brought home the remnants of my soup and it made the greatest second time around meal! Definitely is busy and buzzing with customers, and located right in the middle of Newark Ave, so easy spot to meet-up with friends from other areas. read more

This is about as authentic vietnamese as a pizza. Their bowl of pho is $14!!!! For anyone thats never been to nyc in their life, fine, but being so close to the city where $6 a bowl is the average, its a bit ridiculous. The taste is fine, but doesnt taste much like pho. Tastes more like a beef noodle soup without any of the sides that would typically go into pho - tendon, tripe, beef balls. As probably one of the only pho places in jersey city at the moment, this may be the only thing people know. Authentic, it is not. read more

Came here recently for a friend's birthday and was very surprised by how much I enjoyed myself! The place is a good size and can accommodate small groups. It has a good "date night, classy but casual" feel. The servers are also friendly. We had the New Years cake for our appetizer, which was my least favorite taste of the night. It's basically a small slice of sticky rice (think Chinese sticky rice) with a tiny piece of pork belly in the middle. The entrées made up for the appetizers. I definitely would not recommend getting your usually pho or vermicelli here, just because their "fusion" dishes are so YUM! I had a taste of everyone's meal, and there was not one that I didn't enjoy! I had the clay pot salmon, which was savory and sweet and awesome, and tasted the curry in acorn squash, clay pot pork, soft shell crab, and some sort of beef cubes. Everything was flavorful and rich in taste. The portions are just right (enough to fill you up without overly stuffing you) and the "clay pot" kept my food hot throughout the meal. The pork shoulder is very fatty, but that's pork shoulder. All the sauces are delicious, especially when eaten with rice. The prices are mid teens to mid twenties, and for a nice night out and for great tasting food the price is worth it. Will be back! read more

Living in Jersey City, Its quite tough to find good Vietnamese food and when I searched for a place. Saigon Cafe came up in the top of the list. I ordered their Pho and Spring Rolls once and then the other time it was Pho and Summer Rolls for delivery. It was on time and very well packed which really impressed me. The Broth wasnt the best I have had, but definitely decent enough to satisfy my craving for a evening. If you set your expectations low, you will like this place. read more

Delicious banh mi, spring rolls, and papaya salad. A bit pricey for the banh mi ($12 with side salad) compared to what I've seen in lower Manhattan, but delicious and filling enough to keep me coming back for more and to try other dishes! read more

This place always manages to hit the spot. There's only one other Vietnamese spot in town but I think Saigon Cafe takes the cake when it comes to more substantive, more wholesome dishes. They do deliver as well but don't use Seamless..just something to keep in mind if you ever want to try this place. My favorite would have to be any of the tomato-based stews they have. read more

Wonderful food and good service. My boyfriend and I love this place, we come back time and time again. Delicious!

Been coming here since we moved from the Bay Area almost 10 years ago. When I need a fix between visits home, this would be the only place I get pho on east coast--otherwise, I just wait until I go to CA and have my mom's cooking. read more

As an Asian and foodie living in Jersey City over a decade, I rank this as the best Asian restaurant in Jersey City. It is a hidden gem. Everything is authentic, delicious, using high quality ingredients and impressive flavor profiles. The decor is a bit outdated, maybe that is why they are never too busy so no wait even on Saturday evenings. read more

My first ever 5-star rating. The best Vietnamese food I've had in and around manhattan...a surprisingly wonderful find in Jersey City. As someone who is also vietnamese with a mother whose food was revered by all of our other Vietnamese aunts' and uncles' families, this rivals my mother's food! In some cases, I've even found things done better (which is blasphemous in our culture!). The claypot salmon and pork are fantastic. The peppercorn squid is the best I've had anywhere. The banh xeo and banh tet are exactly like my mothers (a big compliment). The sweet potato pie is shockingly delicious! I've been scared to try the basics like Cha Gio, pho or spring rolls because I'm scared they'll be better than my moms! The staff is extremely friendly and attentive. Quick but don't make you feel rushed. I highly recommend Saigon Cafe for great service and authentic, delicious Vietnamese cuisine. read more

Food is good. But this restaurant is far over priced. While other vietnamese cafe serve $7 noodle soup, Saigon sells $12, which is 70% more expensive. I have to say this is the most expensive Vietnamese restaurant I've seen so far. read more

Overpriced dishes with small portions. Flavors were just ok. So-so service, we had to wave the servers for almost everything, and it wasn't very busy. Salmon hot pot was very disappointing (again not much food or flavor). Chicken w/lemongrass was good. Coming from LA/OC area, I am spoiled with all the Asian foods with very reasonable price. Especially having 200,000 Vietnamese population and tons of resto choices in Little Saigon in OC, I may be a bit critical. read more

This review is on the service alone and not the food. I would have loved to have been able to review the food; unfortunately, I never got served. When I went there with my gf, we were the only patrons in the restaurant. The lady told us to sit wherever we wanted. Then after we sat down we were ignored. No one asked if we wanted drinks, no one gave us a menu. Again, we were the ONLY PEOPLE IN THE RESTAURANT! After sitting there for 15 minutes twiddling our thumbs we said screw it and went down the street to Sawadee. Maybe I will give this place a 2nd chance, but with all the other asian fusion restaurants in the area I doubt I will. read more

My mom was in town, and I suggested we try Saigon Cafe for dinner, because I've been wanting to try it. When she heard "Vietnamese food", she hesitated, but I convinced her it would be a great experience. Luckily, Saigon Cafe did not turn me into a liar. We arrived at about 6 PM on a Wednesday evening to a completely empty restaurant, save for the giant pink fish in the various tanks. The waitstaff was extremely friendly and hospitable. I suggested some non-spicy items for my mom, and we both decided to try the homemade lemonade soda ($3), which seemed perfect for a summer evening. The lemonade soda was delicious, neither too sweet nor too tart. I could drink this stuff all day. My mom ordered the grilled salmon with yellow ginger sauce ($16), which our server assured her was not too spicy. I almost ordered a clay pot curry with tofu and mixed vegetables, but our server alerted me that I shouldn't order it if I'm a vegetarian/vegan - they use chicken stock. He suggested I order the sauteed tofu with yellow curry sauce ($10) instead. I was happy to order it since I usually enjoy this dish. The food was so fresh and flavorful. My mom really liked her salmon, and she even wanted to try my tofu (she doesn't "do" tofu) because she thought it looked so good. I enjoyed every bite of my meal. I really wanted to try the sweet potato pie for dessert, but our server said the kitchen doesn't start making it until September - it's a seasonal item. I was a little disappointed, but this just gives me more reason to return. read more

So went here last week, my fiancee happens to work just blocks away. I had the Jersey Tomato, this was so good and so amazing!!!!! And my fiancee had the spare ribs, it was spicy and good, but it was bone in and some pieces just fell off but others were tougher and harder to eat. They have a different and eclectic menu and a lot of options so I can't wait to try more. read more

I have been meaning to try this place for a while because a couple of our local resident friends tend to eat here several times a week. I figured that means the spot is at least a safe stand-by, if not amazing. I finally had the chance for a late dinner a few days ago. I found my spicy veggie dish in lemongrass sauce to be tasty. I might have just been impressed by the fact that they actually respected my desire to have the sauce made EXTRA spicy! When I request extra spicy, I want extra spicy and not some lame attempt based on judging how much the average customer can handle (which is what most restaurants give me)! As for other info: decent space plus good bar (most JC restaurants do not have liquor licenses) and friendly/quick service. All in all, it's not bad for a standby! read more

Who would have thought a rushed work lunch in Jersey City could have led to a blackened yellow fin tuna salad with jasmine rice and the best carrots I've tasted! I came here for lunch with about 15 others and I'd say all but 2 people loved their food. Even one super picky eater, gorged herself on the beef and broccoli. Extra points for the great family feel and beautiful dish presentation. Mom slaved away in the kitchen and delivered the well crafted dishes along with her son and daughter. A real find. read more

This a great place with very healthy and very good tasting food, at rather reasonable prices.....all at the same time... Come alone, with friend(s), or with the family; it'll all be good. Any dietary restrictions??....this is a great place in this respect as well!! Enjoy.....KL read more

Came here with the family and the food was fantastic. Wasn't crowded, and the service was kind and attentive

Absolutely loveee this place!! Their grilled lean pork bun is delicious. Its light but filling meal. portion size is perfect for dinner. I have been there 2-3 times now and recommend this place to all. read more

Found this place through yelp and ended up giving it a try during this past winter. The place is family run and feels very cozy when you step inside. Seating is pretty decent, I'd say about 25-30 max. They basically do very clean and non-greasy thai / viet style fusion with a little twist. Every single one of their dishes has a little bit of uniqueness that other places like it doesn't do. For example, they add large salt crystals to their sour side salad that adds a salty crunch to the fresh vegetables. The short rib sauce has a hint of cocoa in the barbecueiness. Mussels are kind of a chinese-y clams casino style. Hard to remember everything I ate, except that each of the dishes that you normally eat at these types of small asian fusion style restaurants were done with a unique little difference. I like the vibe of the place too. It's family run, so you know they put hard work and care into the establishment, service, and food. The price of the food and drinks are very fair as well and they have daily specials written on the chalkboard so it's worth checking the board. Nothing too cheap, but nothing expensive. After dinner, ended up ordering the chicken skewers, meat bun, and mango salad to go and was satisfied as well. Would highly recommend at least a try here. read more

We had a dinner in this place. Papaya salad was alright, just a normal salad. The most significant dish was Vietnamese crape, it was healthy and good, had a lot bean sprouts in it. Fried rice was not tasty, Pho was just a normal rice noodle, average. read more

This place is amazing for Vietnamese food! Went here on a cold night and it was the best food for a cold night. Went with my 2 friends and they loved it. Everything we ordered was amazing and we finished it all as well! Can't wait to go again! read more

The claypot curry with tofu and vegetables was awesome. It was too hot so had to wait to cool it down. Also had the rice paper roll and that was awesome as well. read more

Saigon Cafe - Clay pot curry vegetables. - Vietnamese Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

See all

This place is a gem if you're looking for Vietnamese food in Jersey City. The restaurant has a great variety of Vietnamese dishes that you can choose from. I have come here twice for the Beef Pho. The seasonal lemongrass beef noodles soup does not appear to be any authentic Vietnamese dish, but it actually tastes very nice. The restaurant offers a calm and cozy ambience. Service is great. Will come back more often. read more

My home away from home. I eat at least twice a week here which makes sense after you have your first meal. I have brought tons of friends here and they all have left greatly satisfied. My typical fare: 1. Ban hoi thit neung 2. Rendang beef 3. Claypot salmon curry 4. Soft shell crab If you are lucky, they will cook you some stuff off the menu! read more

Amazing Vietnamese restaurant in Jersey City. I especially love the beef Pho and summer rolls. The beef pho is cooked to perfection with bean sprouts served separately. The summer rolls are almost transparent so that you can see the freshness of the ingredients with your eyes. Sometimes I wonder why this place does not have a line. Definitely the top-notch Asian food place in NJ. read more

Food here is better than any Vietnamese I've had in the city. I will definitely be returning here next time i'm in JC. Great flavor in the dishes and appreciated all of the gluten free options. I'm not a huge red meat eater but the grilled pork is a must. Owner is very friendly and made perfect recommendations. read more

Saigon Cafe is a good spot for tasty Vietnamese food and they're very close to where we live. Atmosphere is nice, food is authentic, but the prices are a little high. We come back every now and then but less than we used to. read more

Saigon Cafe knows how to make some excellent curry, I mean like simply amazing, but some of their other dishes are only so-so. The particular noodle dish we ordered was intensely spicy so that was less enjoyable, but their chicken curry is delicious. The sauce looked very watery which made me wary, but very quickly I learned how legit they are. If you're ordering the curry, make sure to get two coconut rices to go along with it. We actually ended up ordering 3 (one for each of us) to soak up all that amazing curry - no drop wasted here! Service was inconsistent. One of the ladies was incredibly friendly and helpful, but we had a male server who did the bare minimum and only grunted in response. Awkward! 5 stars alone just for curry and the cute date atmosphere, but deduct one for the grunter. read more

After a 10-year hiatus from Saigon Cafe (all of my Vietnamese cravings in Jersey City have been satisfied through Nha Trang), I decided to give them a try. Mind you, it was take-out - which while waiting for the food - allowed me to observe the restaurant. I was feeling the exposed brick and the little 4-seater bar in the back. Liquor was fully stocked (a plus), and I noticed that they also sold sake. The place was cozy, and you can tell it was family owned. I ordered the summer roll, basil mussels, and the shrimp curry acorn squash to-go. The rice paper wrap on the summer roll had this obscure, funky smell to it. It was enough for my wife to say, 'It's all yours' and 'Don't just look at it, eat it!' (American Psycho reference). And for $8 a pop, I had to finish it. The mussel dish was decent; the mussels themselves were huge. The shrimp curry acorn squash had good flavor to it, but the shrimps that it came with was overcooked. Perhaps my experience at Saigon would've been better had I dined in instead. I probably won't be going here again because the food was OK and it was too pricey, in my opinion, for Vietnamese. read more

Pho is just a-ok, the soup taste is not the deep flavoursome other restaurants have. The meat in the pho is very tough. Not tender at all, felt like I was eating beef jerky. On the other hand, their appetizers are good such as the summer rolls, papaya salad etc. The best dish there would have to be the de-boned grilled chicken with rice! So nice and tender. Service is good, waitress checked up on us and they are very polite and efficient. read more

Went to dinner with my girlfriend last week - this place is great. Perfect for a quick Friday dinner after work or a relaxed dinner anytime of the week. We started our meal with grilled chicken on sticks with peanut sauce ( hint : mix the peanut sauce with some hot sauce ) the chicken was cooked perfectly. Instead of going the curry route we went with 2 noodle dishes ( pork & beef ) we were not disappointed, it had all the flavors that you would want in a dish. We ended our dinner with their rice pudding which was good but the orange flavor threw me off a bit. I am not big into oranges but my girlfriend loved it. The servers were very attentive and helpful and the ambiance is nice. Definitely recommend. read more