Good stuff! Came with a friend because the dosa line in Washington square park was horrendous, and glad we did because it was a great meal. My friend and I shared the vegetarian pho (light but good flavors, lots of veggies too) and the Cajun (?) shrimp banh mi. I didn't love that quite as much (a little too creamy for my taste), but I might not be the target audience. I love that they have a ton of different vegetarian / pescatarian options to choose from, and I'll definitely be back when I'm in the area to try some of their additional items! read more

My friend and I went there on a not that busy Sunday night. The food was great, perfect temperature at the moment of arrival and with a appropriate waiting time. You should definitely try and share the spring rolls, my main dish (as well as my friend's) was fried fish and it was really really good too, good amount of food for the price you're paying a good quality, the salad that was a companion was fresh and delicious. The service was also great, they kept our glasses full of water. The only reason what I'm not giving it 5 stars is because there is not that much separation between parties when eating indoor. read more

Saigon Shack - Fried Fish - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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Saigon Shack is a quick-serve, sit-down Vietnamese spot right below Washington Square Park. Despite being in prime NYU territory, they turn out solid food at a low price point. I've come twice now during peak times (1 pm and 7 pm on Saturdays) and have had about half hour waits for a party of 3. Service is very good at getting you in and out. The vibe is casual and busy, though it's a surprisingly photogenic space with lots of old wood. Pho starts at $10 and goes up to $16; banh mi are mostly around $9. Their beef pho broth is okay, a little on the light side, but the spicy broth is way better and more flavorful. Their eye round beef and brisket are pretty good; skip the beef balls. On the banh mi side, I've only tried their vegetarian version, a soy-based protein that's quite good. Overall, Saigon Shack serves well as a reasonably priced pre-event meal with friends. Though their food is all well-executed, I can't say I'd come here so often if it didn't have the convenient location it does. read more

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There's much better pho places elsewhere! The service isn't good. Ordered the fried spring roll ( which was stale), the s.s classic sandwiches ( super oily and came soggy), Thai tea ( tasted watered down) and the pho (which was decent). read more

A authentic Viet restaurant that gets pretty crowded daily. They have take out in the back of the restaurant and is cash only. Viet coffee is very good. The Banh Mi classic is pretty good and good value at $5. It stuffed pretty good, the bread is fresh and nice and crusty. Good stuff. read more

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Very unassuming place. Excellent and very quick service. Food hot. Tastiest Pho! Probably the best I've had outside of Vietnam!

Hear so much about this place and decided to come for a visit and I was very impressed! The only pho I had in the states that is comparable to those in Hanoi! To further simulate the authenticity, they even make it cash only Their spicy short rib pho was downright phenomenal. First, they were generous by packing a bowl full of tender and slide-right-off-the-bone meat. The flavor of the broth was absolutely delicious and perfectly seasoned. I drank almost all of their broth even though it was hot outside The noodle texture was cooked just right - I felt like I was back in the street of Vietnam!. Don't get me wrong, their classic pho tasted great as well; but if you want to switch it up from the classic, I would recommend trying the spicy beef ribs pho. You can tell they know exactly how good their pho is. In fact, I felt they were so confident that they might guarantee you would like it or money back. The price is reasonable and the service was quick. No surprise the line was constantly out the door. read more

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A super bustling spot in Greenwich village. Came in on a Monday by noon and there was only one table available indoors. Note that this place is cash only. I was craving for banh mi so ordered a classic one. It was $5 and huge. The baguette is crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. The pickled daikon and carrots are super refreshing given the creaminess of the sweet ham and pate. Overall a cheap and super delish meal! read more

Saigon Shack - Classic banh mi sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Whenever I'm in the area by myself, I always get takeout from here. Pho was perfect for a rainy day and hit the spot. As a vegetarian, this restaurant has a decent amount of vegetarian options. The first time I tried Saigon Shack, I just knew it was the best vegetarian pho I've ever had, and never get pho from anywhere else anymore. Their vegetarian pho broth is flavorful and I love that for their vegetarian protein they use savory soy protein chunks instead of tofu that most places use. I didn't get their spring rolls today, but the vegetarian spring rolls are always amazing and crispy on the outside whenever I order them. The jasmine iced tea with passionfruit flavor is so refreshing and contains passionfruit pulp. I just try to order it less sweet because the last time I had it, it was way too sweet, but today it was perfect. Easily one of my favorite restaurants in the city and I will keep going back. read more

Saigon Shack - Vegetarian Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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Fast service and nice atmosphere. I asked for a "less sweet" Thai tea so it was the perfect level of sweetness for my taste. The classic sandwich could have used more filling. My friend got the beef pho and said it was delicious. read more

Saigon Shack - S.S. Classic Sandwich - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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the BEST banh mi I've ever had!! (ok now I will proceed into my full and real review) Went on: Friday night -- waited: ~30 minutes (next time I'll try to go on a less busy weekday) **worth the wait though in my opinion Ordered: 1) Saigon Shack pho: you get exactly what you hope for, a really good bowl of pho and good portioned 2) Pork chop vermicelli 3) Classic banh mi (only $5!!): truly the best banh mi I've ever eaten - flavor was sooo good and every element tasted fresh 4) Thai iced tea: really refreshing, not too sweet aka just how I like it **Notes: cash only read more

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My sister and I have been to many pho houses but this was one of the best! The rice noodles were thin but stretchy and the pho brisket bowl was so big! The pork spring rolls were also quite big and filling, and the pork had just been cooked and the warm meat with the fresh vegetables were very delicious. Just FYI they're cash only!!! Also I would come early because there tends to be a line from their popularity. read more

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worst experience forget my beef ball forget my Jasmin rice will not comeback also the soup is not salty enough

I am guessing that this is where a lot of NYU students will go to get their pho fixing huh? Saigon Shack seems to be the hot place nearby for some legit pho. From the looks of it passing by, there's always a line of people trying to get in. So my friends and I figured that it would be a good spot for lunch. After a 15 minute wait or so, we were seated at a communal table with other parties. There's definitely a sense of community inside especially from just being so close to other people. If you are someone that likes a more private, intimate dining experience, then Saigon Shack may not be for you. However, let's get down to the real goods: how is their pho?! All in all, I really enjoyed the pho here! The broth was very good and the meat was very tender. One bowl can fill you right up. Be sure to add in some bean sprouts, jalapeños, and mint to spice up your noodles. For about $10 a bowl, you're getting a good deal on something warm and delicious on a winter day. Definitely recommend it for those in the area that are looking for good pho, even if the restaurant doesn't have a number in it. read more

Saigon Shack - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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I ordered Saigon Shack Pho, it was nice with lots of beef and meat. Pretty big portion for me. For drinks, I ordered a Thai milk tea, it would have been better if the tea was thicker and not diluted. Service was standard, nothing special. Surrounding was not noisy as I was there during odd hours. CASH payment only, please note. read more

The food here was flavorful and came out incredibly fast. The portion sizes are large and more than suitable for a filling lunch! The beef balls had a bit more fatty parts than I would have liked, but I was able to pick those out and not all of them had it. And they played great music! read more

Saigon Shack - Beef Ball Pho - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

This establishment is very small, and extremely busy! However they were still able to provide adequate and prompt service with a smile. That is always a plus. The tables are tightly crammed together, and it is quite loud, none of which is a problem for me. I ordered the Grilled Lemongrass Chicken and it was soooo delicious. I know, who goes to a Pho Restaurant to get Chicken? Well, I don't eat Pho (I know, I know). My wife ordered the Classic Beef Pho, and despite how busy it was, it came out rather quickly. She absolutely loved it, and said it was one of the better Pho's she's had. (5/5) for food and service. The reason I am knocking off one star is because of the awful stench of sewer in the place. The floors were also wet with puddles as if sewage water was backing-up into the place. Regardless, we will definitely go back to this place when in NYC. Note: this place is CASH ONLY. read more

Some friends and I came in for an early dinner before class. We were seated right away at the large communal table at the front of the restaurant. We ordered the fried spring rolls to share and then everyone ordered a separate entree. I went with the classic Pho, while my friends got Banh Mi and rice dishes. My Pho was awesome. The size is plentiful for one, the beef was perfect, and the broth had great flavor. They also bring everything on the side, so you can put in as much or as little of the extras (jalapenos, sprouts, etc.) as you like. My friends enjoyed their choices as well, particularly the Banh Mi. The ambiance is cool inside. It's a small spot, so I could see it getting very busy later in the evening. They had the windows open too, so we could enjoy the breeze with our dinner. Waitstaff was nice too. The food came out timely and they came around to check on us frequently enough. Overall, highly recommend this spot if you'e in Greenwhich Village. The food is excellent and the scene is pleasant! They are cash only, but nothing is crazy expensive. read more

This is 100% (in my opinion) the best pho in NYC. I have had an extremely hard time finding good Pho in New York. Saigon Shack doesn't take reservations so you have to put your name in in advance. I have had days (typically when the weather is nice) when I get in right away and I have had other days where I have waited up to 2 hours. I blame the weather. I have only ever ordered the Fresh Spring Roles here and the Pho but I can strongly recommend both. The service here is always very on top of it and the food is always just what you're craving. 10/10 recommend. read more

3.5** I had to eat a banh mi while in NYC. I decided to stop by here and ordered my first classic - it's been 8 years. I can't say I loved it. Maybe because I'm still not entirely fond of meat. The service was fast, the sauce was great, the meat was moist, the bread was crunchy but the selection and portion of meat was off. This is extremely dependent on what type of meat you like. Maybe I should've ordered a veggie banh mi? They had a catering order completed when I got there - didn't know banh mi were a catering sandwich option. That's pretty cool. read more

Saigon Shack - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

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First, the host never called our name which we were waiting without knowing. Then they start craming all these seats by us making it super packed and one of the customer spilled water all over my pants and shoes. Unpleasant dining experience. So 1 star for you! read more

Visited many times, always tasty, fresh food and excellent service! Beef pho is my favorite, and it is enough for me for lunch, very refreshing and delicious. Sometimes you have to wait about five minutes, because many people come to eat here, but when you get seat, food is on the table very fast. Paying is cash only, prices are normal. I recommend this place to everyone! read more

Saigon Shack - The best pho! - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

I had a sudden craving for Bánh mì at 3:30pm and luckily found Saigon Shack which exceeded my expectations. The staff was friendly and the atmosphere welcoming, clean, and relaxed. The shrimp summer rolls were full of crisp fresh veggies and cool vermicelli and shrimp. Dipping them in the creamy nutty sauce was delicious. The fried fish Bánh mì was stuffed with light, crunchy, steaming hot fried fish and snappy sliced veggies topped with a tangy special mayo, all tucked into a perfectly soft baguette bread. My meal was richly complimented by a strong, sweet Vietnamese iced coffee. A perfect staycation lunch that kept me full and happy for hours. Thank you, Saigon Shack! Can't wait to come back. read more

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Spring roll size has changed drastically. About half the size it used to be. Summer roll is not authentic because there's no pork w/shrimp, they only have shrimp. They also put pickled carrots and daikon inside which makes the roll sour and takes away from the peanut sauce. read more

After ordering multiple DoorDash orders from this location, my gf and I finally dined in, finding ourselves in the area. Same great pho, but at a lower price because we paid in cash and cut the middle man out (DoorDash). The portions also seem to be a lot bigger when you dine in compared to takeout. read more

Food is better now. Sandwiches are well stuffed. Generally on the mild side, spice wise, except if you order jalapeños. No alcohol, seating is split between tables and counter. Brisk service, don't expect to relax because the people who are waiting will give you the stink eye when you get your check promptly. read more

Short ribs pho and Ox tail pho were really impressive! Fried spring rolls are great too! Cash only read more

Saigon Shack - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

I recently tried Saigon Shack in my quest to find great pho in the New York area. The restaurant is really small, with lots of bar seating. I went on a weekday during lunch hours, and the place was packed. Luckily, I was a party of one and got seated immediately. Many of the parties with multiple people had to wait. It's also cash only. I tried the following dishes: Goi Cuon (Summer Rolls) (3.5/5): I got this with the seasoned soy protein. I really enjoyed the soy protein - it was very well-spiced and a nice texture. Otherwise, the components of the goi cuon were fresh and tasty. Pho Chay / Vegetarian Pho (3.5/5): With the same seasoned soy protein as above. The seasoned soy protein was great. The broth was pretty flavorful but not the best I have had. Overall, I did enjoy the dish. I enjoyed my experience at Saigon Shack. However, I doubt I will return anytime soon because it was so packed and also out of the way for me personally. read more

One of the best Vietnamese food in New York, we had the signature pho and the pork chop sandwich, everything very tasty and very good service. read more

First I've gotta say, I've been coming here for my pho fix since 2014 and never really had a bad experience until recently. But this experience really left a bad taste in my mouth. First thing when we walk in a man comes up to us to ask how many in our party (2 people) and then goes outside to presumably check if anyone was ahead of us on the list (there was no one outside). When he decides to seat us he motions towards a small table by the door. We ask if we can sit on the bench seating bc there was no one around and bc I don't like sitting right in front of the door, and he told us it was for large parties only. I have no problem with this policy, makes sense, but when I started having an issue is when within a minute or two he sat another couple there. So he lied. Next, when we got our food, my brisket pho was just all like crumbs of meat? I'd gotten this dish before and expected generous slices but got this instead. It felt like I was eating pho with ground beef. All in all a very mediocre experience. I've been coming here for pho for the past 7-ish years and honestly the food and service has been trending downwards. read more

Saigon Shack - Brisket Pho with small pieces of brisket crumbs instead of slices of brisket. ‍ - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

Veggie banh mi was mediocre on my last visit - not bad, but nothing to write home about. I prefer the version offered at Paris Sandwich in Chinatown. Vietnamese coffee was fine. Overall I've often found service here rather unpleasant. I understand that you can't seat someone until the full party has arrived, but that message was delivered to me in such a rude, belittling tone on my last attempted visit that I decided to tell my party to meet me somewhere else. On another morning, a request for a coffee 5 minutes before they opened was also rebuffed in a manner that made me decide not to return here. read more

Cheap eats that will blow your mind, there's not many spots like this left in nyc after Covid. Come drop in after a walk in the park to have a beer and split a spicy brisket bahn mi sandwich. We wound up ordering one, it was definitely big enough to split, but we ended up loving it so much we ordered a second. The second was even jucier. We waddled home like penguins read more

I love Saigon Shack. I can't believe I just wrote that. The state of Vietnamese food affairs has been a relatively rough one in NYC for the past couple of decades. Great places come and go, and even when they're around, they only have a few items that are relatively decent. Banh Mi and Pho are what most folks in these parts want (and/or know), and surprisingly Saigon Shack does them both well. Like, really well. Viet folks and friends alike might balk at the prices ($10 for pho for example), the staff butchering the menu items (why say "goi cuon" when the staff can rock "summer roll?"), or the offerings of crabcake or Peking duck for banh mi. Sure, the authenticity is questionable, but so is every other Vietnamese spot in Manhattan. Real talk. Pho fans, the broth is really solid. The dark matter is less prevalent, the soup batch is consistently fresh, and they even serve limes with the pho condiments. Their vermacelli dish ($12) with both prawns and spring rolls (aka a souped up bun cha gio tom thit) is extremely tasty. The spring rolls are perfectly fried, the fixings are abundant, and flavor is definitely on point. I would venture the same with their sauteed shaking beef cubes over rice (bo luc lac - $9), which has yet to disappoint. The beef is juicy and the portions are very adequate for a sub-$10 dish. While I'd rather rock the classic house special banh mi (banh mi dac biet) at Banh Mi Zon (http://www.yelp.com/biz/banh-mi-zon-new-york), the $5 Viet sammies can certainly hold their own. The pork chops (suon heo - $9) have a particularly lovely glaze on the outside of the meat, which is juicy and sometimes wonderfully charred. They also are very conscious of the veggie crowd, which is not something a lot of "authentic" Vietnamese spots would really cater to / care about. The service have their moments -- mishaps aren't often but sometimes the 'tude is more present than not. If I'm not stuck in a corner somewhere, I'm usually content with sitting on the counter. The wait can be a bit much for folks, but there is nothing on MacDougal (Asian wise) that would supplant Saigon Shack from being a #1 choice. It is cash only, so certainly make sure to have plenty of dollar bills on hand. read more

Now that it seems as if winter has come back to us and it was cold last night I walked by this place and immediately wanted to shove my face in a big bowl of Pho! As usual, this place was packed. Had to wait for a few minutes to grab a seat. As I was solo last night it was easy to score a stool up by the counter as people eat pretty quick here and move along. What's cool is that a waitress keeping track of those on line took our orders in advance so when I sat down the food was placed in front of me almost within a minute or two. I didn't have to drool too long while seeing those around me slurp up their delicious looking Pho. Since I was starving I ordered a few Vietnamese specialties to safisfy my growling stomach. S.S. Spicy Brisket Banh Mi sandwich. Holy meat coma Batman this was so delish! Hand carved brisket topped w/ sauteed onion, pineapple & spicy au jus sauce. It was almost melt in your mouth awesomeness. Classic Beef Pho. One huge bowl of steaming goodness. Lots of noodles and fresh thinly sliced beef. They give you a plate on the side full of sprouts and lemon to add in, along with a few bottles of sauces to add extra kick. A little Siracha sprinkled in and I was good to go! Happily slurped up my meal while splattering it all over my shirt but I didn't care. Pho is not meant to be eaten in a neat way. Bury your face in and have at it! Bowl of the classic pho and spicy brisket banh mi sandwich hit the spot! $8 each was fine by me! I'm craving this meal again already and will be back for sure. read more

Is Saigon shack the best Vietnamese restaurant? Probably not. Is it a good Vietnamese restaurant? Definitely yes. We came to this restaurant on a weekday for lunch, and ordered lemongrass chicken vermicelli, Saigon shack pho, and spring rolls. The springs rolls were good but far from the best mainly because the filling needed more flavor. The vermicelli with chicken and pho were all legit with all the usual accompaniments. The pho was tasty but the broth was again definitely lighter on flavor. It's cash only but the value is excellent, and the food is not the best but still pretty good which is not bad at all. read more

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food is watery and tasteless. Many much better Vietnamese restaurants in NYC. Staff are unfriendly and take your business for granted. Save your mone! read more

I come here a lot and still it took me such a long time to review one of my favorite spots for Banh Mi and Pho. This block on Macdougal has so many eatries/restaurants and bars and that sometimes one would miss a small place like Saigon Shack. The place has limited seating capacity (few tables) and few other on the bar. There is also a long wait on weekends for seating here, having said that the food here is really good. Even though I have tasted almost everything out of their menu but my personal favorite is the Pork Banh Mi, there is something special about this sandwich. The meat is so seasoned well and is so fresh, all the vegetables used inside the banh mi are so fresh which brings out this awesome flavor out of Banh Mi. They do ask if one wants the Banh Mi spicy or extra spicy but their extra spicy is sometimes not very spicy for everybody. They do have Sriracha sauce for all those who like extra extra spicy. Compliment that spicyiness with a cool lichi drink and one will have an awesome meal. The food is very resonably priced with Banh Mi's starting ay $7 bucks and those sandwiches do fill you up, they are huge. Even the Pho bowl is huge and the broth is really flavourful. Definitely a spot not to be missed when in west village. FYI - They are cash only! read more

Saigon Shack - Pork pho! - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

$5 banh mi classic, the S.S. Classic, is delicious! I ordered it for takeout and it was so bomb, despite the 25 minute wait. I'll have to come back to dine in and try their other dishes. On a weekend afternoon, you can expect to wait a bit to get seated as it is quite popular and the space isn't the biggest. read more

Saigon Shack - Vietnamese Near Me - New York, New York

This place has some of the best banh mi in NYC. The menu options and the food itself are actually very similar to the nearby Pho Sure, which is also excellent. We started with the fresh summer rolls with chicken ($5), which were great and very refreshing. The rice noodles and vegetables inside are cool, contrasting against the warm chicken inside, which makes for a very nice combination. We also got the S.S. Spicy Brisket Banh Mi ($8) and the Lemongrass Grilled Chicken Banh Mi ($7), which were both excellent. The brisket was especially good - the meat was very juicy and the sauce was delicious, while the bread still stayed nice and crispy. The same goes for the chicken which I would definitely get again. It's a good thing you get such a good meal for so cheap, because the place is cash only, so plan ahead. Also plan to wait possibly, as the place is pretty small and it can get crowded on the weekends. The place itself is fun to eat at. The front is completely open and it is in a hopping area of the West Village on Macdougal street around a lot of other great places. I can't wait to go back to try the Catfish and the Pulled Pork banh mi, which both sound excellent. I definitely want to go back to try the Pho as well when it's not 95 degrees out - I can definitely see this place really getting packed once word of mouth spreads on how good it is and when the weather gets a little cooler and more suitable for a big bowl of noodle soup. read more

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Decent Vietnamese cuisine in Greenwich Village. Although I still find the more authentic stuff to taste a bit better,I think this place comes close enough especially since it seems to be somewhat more catered to its surrounding hood. I grew up on traditional Viet food/flavors, but I'm giving this place a fair shot. Even on a Monday night this place is full to capacity with people spilling out, waiting on the curb (wow 1k+ reviews). There's counter top bar seating and the tables are mostly for 2 people so I wouldn't suggest coming here with a large group. Although there is one large table near the front windows, but that's about it. Wifey and I shared: -- Grilled Pork Banh Mi - The char grilled taste is there for sure and they don't skimp on the meat filling. It is a bit dry at times though which makes chewing a chore. Comes with your standard pickled veggies and cilantro. -- Grilled Pork w/ Vermicelli - Same pork as above. This dish/bowl is surprisingly deep and filling. -- Sweet potato fries - Why? Because its cheap, tasty (with soy?/mayo-like sauce) and I wanted finger food. -- Summer Rolls w/ Shrimp - Decent. Just wish the peanut dipping sauce had bolder flavor and was less watery. If you're really critical of Viet food, you probably wouldn't enjoy this place over more authentic ones. But price wise it's not too bad, service is quick and friendly, so it may warrant a visit. Cash only! (boo) read more

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