The second time around, the Pho Bo wasn't the best. It had all the elements of a good pho, but the flavor wasn't there. The broth was very flavorless, and there was no tripe or omasa. Luckily, the Green Papaya Salad and Shrimp Curry Acorn Squash made up for the disappointing pho. The salad was huge with lots of pork and shrimp, soaked nicely with fish sauce and fried shallots sprinkled on top. Great crunchiness from the green papaya, and overall quite large and filling with all the add-ins. Get the Shrimp Curry Acorn Squash!!! Wow that acorn squash. I loved how it was soaked in the delicious, slightly sweet curry. It came with four large pieces of shrimp and covered with fried shallots. Simply amazing. It seems like pho is not their specialty, but they do the other entrees very well. Not sure, but the trend might be that good pho restaurants have the word "pho" in the name. I'll still be back to try their other dishes though. read more

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I ate here a while ago with my friend, and I remember it fondly. We started with cocktails, which were tasty. My friend's was the cucumber gimlet, it tasted refreshing in the summer day. For food, I had the pho and she ordered the pork chops that came with two eggs on top. When I first saw that I had to laugh at it for the sheer amount of food. The egg went deliciously with the pork though. I love pho, and I eat it everywhere I go. I still like pho the most from when I lived in California's Bay Area, but this was quite good too. The soup was flavorful but light, and the portion was a good size as well. For Vietnamese food, it's not exactly cheap as I can find better deals in Chinatown, but the tastes are good. read more

We love ordering from saigon cafe when we have crave for Pho & crispy spring roll. Very nice lady on a phone taking our order, food comes hot and on time. We tried their new fried rice and it has more flavor and delicious :) read more

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So if you're in the mood for Banh Mi, this is a great place to go. if you're looking for anything else, I definitely think Saigon Pho (on route 10 in East Hanover) is a lot better. Saigon Pho is also much better for a sit-down dinner. read more

Something has happened. I blame hipsters. I loved this place but haven't been in almost a year. Thing is, I brought new company here to impress with the cordial service, honest and delicious flavors, and sweetly perfect ambiance i came to appreciate in my jersey city existence of almost 8 years now. This used to be my Grove St. area mainstay. Sadly, they might have upgraded at the expense of the food and service. Both of which were just hardly tolerable. We ordered the Banh Dap with prawn crackers & usual accompaniments, marinated pork dish, & fresh spring rolls. We added two had Vietnamese iced tea and I had a salty fruit soda. Service was brusque. The entrees priced at hefty $12-$18 each were wee. Let me say this: they were miniature. The meats with lettuce and herbs might as well been and the managed pork at $14 had 3 pithy pieces. It was practically one miniscule meat chunk per patron. The flavors were basically Filipino pork adobo and tasty but with its price point, blatantly insulting. Service bland between each dish took longer and the food was underwhelming. I'm not in Manhattan eating nouveaux sticker shocked Vietnamese food and even then, portion might actually be more appropriate. I hate to say this and I'm fighting giving a one star review because I know this is a family business. I just wanted the family integrity in my eating experience that previously made this place stellar. I don't think that should suffer in the hip shifting backdrop of the neighborhood. Just because you're one if the few Asian restaurants in the area, shouldn't impose on your quality. Needless to say, my praises fell flat with my new friend who was still hungry after our dinner. She and now I, weren't the slightest bit impressed. Please be back to the way things were, won't you? read more

The food is OK. There are two other Vietnamese restaurants in jersey city that are way better. -New Thanh Hoai (10th St. downtown) - Thanh Huong (West Side Ave) I was not impressed at all. Ordered takeout, food was cold & unseasoned, portions were small, overpriced. Only pro is the egg rolls were pretty good. read more

Saigon Cafe - The pork chop was dry and overcooked & the rice was crunchy and tasted old. Egg was cold, salad was ok. Not impressed - Vietnamese Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

My go to order is the grill shrimp. Super flavorful and cooked to perfection! My only gripe is the mound of dry rice they give you with the shrimp. You have the option to choose soy or fish sauce but I would prefer the sauce the shrimp is cooked in/seasoned with. Also I really enjoy the subtle sweetness to the salad dressing. read more

- most disappointing pho of my life, about a quarter of the meat you'd get from any other restaurant, twice the price, and heartbreakingly bland broth - recommend: summer roll - mentionable ambiance (very different from the usual Vietnamese restaurant fare, more modern, less kitchy. . but personally I like that kind of thing, seems more sincere and authentic) - pleasant and personable staff read more

Steve is a funny guy. I've been to a few places in Jersey City, and I never really had someone interact with me, haha...does me realizing that make me seem weird? Sorry. Not! There's local art all over the place and I definitely respect and support that. That's awesome. The water came in the coolest bottles ever and the food was amazing. I need to move back to Jersey City and become a regular. read more

I crave Vietnamese food often, so the craving came while visiting my homeland of Bayonne and this was the closest spot I was able to find. Talked Mom and Grandma into joining us even though they claim they "don't like this kind of food," but I assured them they would find something on the menu and would love it. Then the place actually ended up having a chicken and capers dish on their specials menu so of course Mom and Gma ordered this. I was a bit disappointed they wouldn't venture out of their food comfort zone but I didn't say anything- just let them try a taste of mine. They actually loved their dishes and all the traditional Vietnamese dishes that they tried. Summer and spring rolls were great, nothing out of the ordinary. Dad ordered the Chicken CANH CHUA and asked for it spicy - IT WAS SPICY and full of flavor, may have been a bit too spicy though, I tried some as well. My BF got the vermicelli noodles with grilled pork and spring rolls and said it was some of the best he's tried (I force him to get Vietnamese food often:) so that was a plus. I ordered the beef pho and ate the entire bowl, it was tasty but not the most favorable broth I've ever tried. Also wish they served more greens with it (jalapenos, green onions etc.) but overall I was happy. Nice ambiance - the place is cozy but casual with red tablecloths and white paper on top. The family actually ended up going back here in the same week after I left town, so now this will be our go to Vietnamese food spot when I'm visiting home. read more

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Saigon Cafe hits the spot every time. I love their Banh Hoi, it's a very big portion and so fresh and flavorful. I highly recommend calling them directly for a delivery order, they offer free and quick delivery within downtown JC. read more

I had the tomato and beef dish because when you are pregnant, the thing you order is the first yummy thing you see on someone else's table! I'm usually pretty safe with my Vietnamese food choice, namely, PHO, but this was pretty good! The staff are really nice but a little slow to take our order. Since there were only 3 other tables in the restaurant, I would have expected a little more speed. read more

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I was very impressed with the food here. We had a wonderful waitress who gave great recommendations and even let me taste the curry before ordering. I ended up getting the acorn squash curry with shrimp which I loved but was spicy!! A lot of good sounding options on the menu which I look forward to trying in the future. read more

Yay Saigon Cafe! I went with a group of four which allowed all of us to taste a number of dishes. Our server was really awesome, and happily pointed out some of his favorites. Every single dish we had was top-notch. My fiance's salt and pepper squid was some of the best fried squid I have ever had. My banh hoi bo lui (sesame beef with jicama rice noodle entree) was super flavorful, and I loved making my own little lettuce wraps. One tip: if the special of the night happens to be clay pot pork, someone at the table must order it! It is really tender pork that is caramelized and served with a salad. Our server told us that it was pretty traditional Vietnamese peasant food that they were debating putting on the menu. I say please do! And if not, I hope it is an oft-occurring special. Saigon Cafe is a little pricier than other Vietnamese joints in the neighborhood, but it is really pretty inside and the food is definitely worth it. read more

Saigon Cafe - Banh mi. Sadly it is only available for lunch! - Vietnamese Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

I've been to Saigon Cafe twice now in the 3+ years I have been living in Jersey City. First time when I was here I had pho like most people and to be honest was not very impressed. Since then my Vietnamese fix had been the nearby New Thanh Hoai. I figured its been 3 years now should give it another chance :-) Well my visit this time was really just okay. I don't think the quality of the food changed much, the price remained about the same as well. Its bit more expensive than other Vietnamese places I've been. I think its more catered toward the crowd that appreciates the decor and darker atmosphere This time I tried the curry pot which was pretty good. A bit spicy than I thought but definitely got a good kick to it. I think I would've prefer to have bread as sides rather than rice as a default option but it was still pretty good. My friend got the tofu pad see ew and really it was just pretty standard. I guess I had bit more expectation of this place since it has been continuously getting favorable reviews. I think if the price wasn't bit more expensive than New Thanh Hoai I would have definitely given this place 4 stars. But on the positive note the service here is definitely better and very attentive compare to the new Thanh Hoai location. I think its worth a visit to see what you think of the food but over all I had better expectations. read more

Saigon Cafe - Spicy Claypot Curry with Chicken and Potatoes - Vietnamese Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

Came here to start exploring JC food after living here for almost 1 and 1/2 year! It was a quiet Saturday night, we came here because of the 4 star yelp review. First observation, this place is really dark and honestly, a great place for a date. For family? Not so much. My wife and I sat down and the waiter took care of us right away. We browsed at the menu for a little while before ordering. For appetizer, we ordered fried Chicken Wings (10 dollars, not 8 dollars base on yelp, price must of went up 20 %!) We were quite dissapointed with the wings.. they are so freaking tiny! size of half of my palm.. see picture. Not worth it.. For main dish, we ordered Rendang Beef Crispy Soft Shelled Crab. (16 dollars each) The Rendang Beef has 4 beef cubes with really good sauce. As for the Crsipy Soft Shelled Crab... theres a lot of salad and not enough crab! There is only one crab and it isnt that big again... I been to several places in NYC (thai / asian restaurants ) I usually get at least 2 - 3 soft shelled crabs per entree, same size crab and similar price. So that was quite dissapointing. We paid around 50 dollars that night for these 3 dishes. Like everyone else said below.. this is place is pretty pricey!!! read more

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My Hoboken friend Jerry knows I'm always on the look out for some delicious Pho (Vietnamese noodle soup), so when I visited him recently, he took me to Saigon Cafe, which I must say was yummy!! First off, this restaurant is a tad classier than most Vietnamese restaurants I've visited, which was a pleasant and welcome surprise! In fact, the place was cozy and inviting. As you can guess, I tried the Pho Ga (my all-time favorite Vietnamese dish if it's done right).... and it was delicious! The only down side was that I needed more greens (cilantro, basil, etc.)... I guess I'm just spoiled by Pho Hien Vuong in Greensboro, which gives you an entire plate of accoutrements with your soup bowl. Jerry ordered a fresh vegetable and noodle dish, which he said was yummy as well. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful at Saigon Cafe (I believe the place is family owned). The only negative is parking, which seemed difficult to come by--and we even visited the restaurant during off-peak hours. read more

Aaah, Jersey City. We came here late on a Thursday night, maybe 8:30/9 and there were still a number of people in the restaurant, though not many. Our waiter was helpful and shared his opinions on the menu. I gave him a general description of what I wanted to eat and didn't want. I didn't get the noodles I wanted, but had rice instead. The beef entree I got was ALL beef, not your typical expecation of being thrown in with the rice. I was not a huge fan of the yellow sauce that came with my dish, but saw the appeal. I was wildly impressed with my friends Claypot Curry and the vegetable stir fry which were both great! We were warned the claypot curry would be spicy and it was, but my beef was also supposed to be spicy and it was mild at best. very nice low key place for restaurant. Bound to find something on the menu anyone will like with the mounds of pages that are available! Random thought from dinner: Those are quite possibly the ugliest fish I have ever seen in my life.... read more

I've been living in JC for over a year and a half and walk by this place all the time - I can't believe it took me this long to check it out! Saigon Cafe is a wonderful spot for a nice dinner, especially on a cold winter's day. My SO and I went at 6pm on a Saturday and were seated immediately. In fact, we were some of the only people in the restaurant! However, by the end of the meal, tables had filled up and the place was packed. We got the Redang Beef under the Signature Dishes, along with the crab meat fried rice. The beef was INCREDIBLE. So juicy & tender. It was great to mix up with the fried rice. The rice was great, but knowing how great they do with meat dishes, on return visits we'll probably get something else. Ambiance is nice & warm, with big windows overlooking Newark Ave. We will definitely be back! read more

This place was just what I needed. I didn't want to traipse into NYC for Vietnamese and lo and behold - a tasty restaurant just up the road from where I had my nails done. Delicious and lovely people. The small touches matter -at least to me- so I was pleased to see the few sprigs in a little jar and the crispy clean linen. Will have to see if they deliver to my area of JC. read more

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

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This is my top favorite restaurant in JC! Their menu is very extensive (def a good thing) with a lot of options from noddles to crepes to curries and much more! Some of my favorite dishes include: fried/stir fried noodles, shrimp curry acorn squash, rendang beef or chicken. Appetizers (spring rolls, summer rolls, curry chicken puffs) and desserts(steamed banana cake and bread pudding) are also a must try as well as the Vietnamese coffee (with condensed milk) = absolutely delicious and STRONG! I promise you that anything you order, will not disappoint! read more

Saigon Cafe - Fried/Stir-fried Noodles - Vietnamese Near Me - Jersey City, New Jersey

The young waitress didn't speak much English and spilled my drink at my table and didn't offer any assistance the entire dining experience. I paid for my meal and left as is but that was pretty rude read more

Mixed experience here. Had high hopes for the shrimp summer rolls....but something tasted off. Very disappointing and even slightly unpleasant. I actually absolutely love the summer rolls from Trader Joe's and these were not even close. Tofu soup was pretty good. Great flavor. Also ordered the sauteed chicken and mixed vegetables. The flavor of the sauce was awesome (really enjoyed the veggies and the rice once it was soaked in the sauce) but the chicken itself wasn't good - dry and tough. I got take-out here - the place was nice inside, full bar. Friendly service - offered me water while I waited. I'd probably give it another shot, there's got to be something on the menu they do well all around. read more

Fantastic place and fabulous food ! The curries are great. My favorite is the Chicken CANH CHUA . I had asked it to be spicy and it was just the right spice. The ambiance is great. Its not a big place but the service is quite good.Highly recommend this place. read more

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

Our friends raved about this place and it's one of their regular visit places. I could not have loved the food more. The food was amazing! I had the mango salad which was so refreshing and the sauce it was tossed with was so tasty. I ordered the Asian vegetable soup for entree (had the chicken broth) which was very tasty. The waiter was very patient and friendly. They accommodated few changes to the dishes too. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone wanting to try healthier and tasty food. read more

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Highly recommend this cozy Vietnamese restaurant if you're in Jersey City area. Most of their entrees (and all of their soups) are gluten free. Grilled chicken, pho and vegetables all taste very fresh. In addition, the ambience of exposed brick walls, dim lights and street views through the front glass add to a memorable dining experience. Top level wait staff are relaxed yet very professional and well-trained. We'll be back next time we're in the area! read more

This place has the best bun/ pho around. Yes , it is 10% more expensive than the other place around the corner , but it's 10x better. their veggies are fresh and full and broth is good.plus fresh summer rolls are stacked. Would recommend. It's well worth the 10% more, I promise read more

I love this place been going for over ten years with my wife. I see lots of complaints about price and not kid friendly, I'm sure the same folks complaining about price drop $6 on a Starbucks coffee without flinching. On the kid tip, take your kids to Chucky Cheese if you have no control over them. I've been there plenty of times when they were kid friendly and it always killed my night when parents weren't parenting. I remember a night when this one kid was breaking dishes, the kid and parents were out of control, and had zero respect for the place or other patrons. Many of us really appreciate the date atmosphere, just get there earlier if you got kids. My brother had is wedding reception here and we have had more birthdays here than we can count, it's a great place to celebrate an occasion. This place has consistently good food every time we go there. I've had dishes that taste the same now as they tasted 10 years ago, I've never once had a dish here where it wasn't almost seasoned down the the molecule like it was the last time I had the dish. Highlights: - Best whiskey selection in the area. And solid bar tending skills by the entire staff. Want something special? Have the owner make you a drink, Dan can whip up drinks I've never had before. Some of the best Manhattans in the area. - Rendang! Off the hook. The chicken rendang is amazing. - Summer Rolls...some of the best you will ever have. - Curry soups are rich and eyebrow sweating spicy, try it in an acorn squash, seriously.. - Sweet potato pie in the fall and winter months is awesome. Have brought them to thanksgiving dinners for dessert. - Bistro style Vietnamese. Want authentic, quick, dirty kitchen style? try the other place. Want massive flavor and a different spin on Vietnamese cooking? Try this place. read more

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

I've been going here for years with my family; we've celebrated two of my graduations here, my grandfather's 80th, amongst other special occasions. The business is family-owned & family-run. They're very kind, welcoming, & attentive. The atmosphere is very intimate, & even romantic. The inside has exposed brick walls where instruments & local photography that are up for sale hang. The seating is comfortable and they've repurposed benches from an old nearby church (that was converted into condos). Children are welcome in the earlier part of the day. There's a bar by the register for those who want a cocktail, & a small space in the back for private gatherings. Throughout these years, I've been able to taste a plethora of dishes from their menu, & everything I've ordered was delicious! I must also mention that the flavors have been consistent & balanced, & we've never found ourselves disappointed in our food. Two years may pass, but that delicious dish still tastes just like it did when you had it the first time. Dining here is definitely an experience. The vibe & food together creates a wonderful experience. I'd suggest you come here with chill company, & I'm sure you'll have a nice, memorable time here. NOTE: They are closed on Mondays & open late on Sundays. read more

This place is hands down the best Vietnamese in the area. Family owned and operated, they also make a great Manhattan. The atmosphere is cozy and homey, with a dash of easy sophistication. Great for dining alone, with friends, on a date or with the family. Get the summer rolls and peppercorn squid... can't be beat. read more

Absolutely love the food here and really happy that they continue to operate. I've only tried take out so can only speak for food. Both times I've ordered, the food came with great flavours, with a bit of a kick of spice. The consistency has been great and held up to the expectations I had from the first time ordering. My favourite dishes so far are the claypot curry (they do a special with Cod which was really tender), and Tom Ca Ri Mi which is a noodle curry. Both with bold flavours. They take precautions on minimising contact and wearing protective gear so I felt comfortable picking up the food. Highly recommend! read more

food is great but do not say you are open until 9 and turn people away. especially locals

Summer roll has a kind of strange odor. Probably it's not fresh. Beef pho broth is good, though excessive salt ruins its freshness. Service is good. read more

Saigon Cafe opened for outdoor service today, and they are as good as they've ever been. Vietnamese food is surprisingly hard to come by around here, and this place is wonderful, with a dining room that exudes old-school romantic charm. My favorite are the seafood dishes, which they absolutely excel at. Everything is so fresh and flavorful. Also, hot tip, of the many places doing 'carry out cocktails' these days on Grove Street, Saigon Cafe has a great selection (with competitive prices) and doesn't have the lines you see at the other bars/pubs. I've loved this place for years and am so happy they're still around making great food. read more

Yummy summer rolls and pho. So hard to pick so I get a new one every time. None have disappointed.

I've only ordered take out as I work around the corner and it's always been ready quickly. I don't know how these guys do it but they get maximum flavor from every single item they serve. Even the salad is perfectly seasoned. I've had several items from here and they're always phenomenal. Acorn curry with shrimp is to die for. Lean pork special is unreal. In general I feel like they sold their soul to the devil to be able to make curry like this. I crave it constantly. The decor is really nice and intimate and I am hoping to go there properly soon as I feel like their food should be enjoyed from real plates and not just plastic containers. Highly highly recommended. Probably best Vietnamese I've ever had read more

Saigon Cafe is a small Vietnamese restaurant in the "Village" area of Jersey City. I came across it by accident. I was hungry and decided to stop in. It is nicely decorated but a bit on the small size. It was early evening and not many people at all. The wait staff were very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. I started with the Banh Tet - New Year's Cake which is sweetened stick rice, homemade mung bean paste, & pork belly steamed in banana leaf. You get two pieces. It was good but not the highlight of the meal. For the main course I had the Grilled Pork Meatballs. These were very good. They are accompanied by was savory-sweet sauce for dipping. There were eight meatballs all together and come out skewered, 2 per stick. I would definitely order this again. I could not finish the meal. They are very filling. One thing to note, on there menu and posted in the restaurant is that they will not accommodate small infants or toddlers after 7pm. read more

I don't often leave reviews, and if I do they're certainly not positive, but this place has earned it. I have been to the restaurant as well as ordered delivery and it was phenomenal each time. My favorite is the clay pot curry (with chicken), but you can't go wrong. Seriously a must try. read more

Hands down, one of the greatest places in JC. Clean, awesome food, great people. PLEASE SURVIVE!!! I love the summer rolls, spring rolls, pretty much everything. Their pho is fantastic and stir fry dishes also. Great drinks at the bar too. read more

Walked passed this restaurant my first weekend after moving in and will definitely be back. The staff is lovely, very helpful in explaining dishes we were unfamiliar with, providing recommendations and welcoming us to the neighborhood. We ordered several dishes. The crab fried rice was OK, but one of the curry specials was delicious as were the curry chicken puffs, this interesting special dumpling thing and chicken rendang. Do yourself a favor and get the sweet sticky coconut rice. It's BRIGHT pink but I wanted to eat it with everything! read more