I am excited to try this place. I would be wonderful to have some local Vietnamese food. I look forward to their opening this weekend. I will update my review once I try this place out. read more

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All about that banh mi! We've had several great experiences at Vietnam Bistro, both dining in and take out. I finally tried the House special banh mi last weekend, and it was a seriously amazing sandwich. This is an all-around great restaurant! read more

Delicious! I am vegetarian/vegan and I've gotten their vegetarian pho multiple times. You get so much it could be 3 meals! Their summer roles are great as well though the peanut sauce that comes with it is a little bland. We always get their taro bubble tea for dessert. read more

Our daughter takes classes locally and we stopped in for an quick bite. What a great decision! We are not very familiar with the cuisine but both employees there took their time and suggested dishes for us. I have a dietary restriction and they made adjustments to my dish. Everything was fantastic! Very clean, super friendly and delicious. Great service. We took a menu to go and have already decided what we want to eat next time. read more

My friend took me to this place, she insists this is the best place for soup. It's this tiny restaurant on Route 9 which I would never noticed if it wasn't for my friend. The owner, I think his name was Phil - he was very friendly. The wonton soup was absolutely delicious. The flavor of the broth is tasty and complex. A proper broth should be simmered for a long time and you can tell this broth was cooked the right way. The wontons itself were very good also. read more

Vietnam Bistro - Wonton soup. Excellent! - Vietnamese Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

Drove here from New Brunswick to try and I don't know how they can represent the viet culture because they are awful. I came here twice in a span of a year to make sure they didn't just do a terrible job the first time but there's no coming back. The pho p1 that is supposed to come with everything didn't have any tripe or tendon and the rare steak is very tough. The noodles are the worst possible quality. The bun bo hue tasted like water. The broth has no depth whatsoever with very thin slices of brisket. They do not have pig feet or pork blood. Why serve certain dishes if you're not going to make it properly. The soups here are a step up from instant packaged pho. Very disappointed. read more

This is my favorite pho restaurant. The choices are sparse in Freehold, but out of all the ones I have been to in the past, this is my favorite. The menu has a plethora of options, and the serving size is more than adequate, even if you order a small. The only downside is they're closed on Mondays, and sometimes I just want pho to beat back those Monday. The staff is always friendly, as if the owner. Service is definitely the fastest I've ever experienced. The longest my wife and I had to wait was about ten minutes with a full house. read more

First of all, if you like bubble tea, do NOT go anywhere else. Do go out of your way to get it here. Now that this is said , we usually come and get the Pho Ga. it is a Vietnamese chicken soup speciality. Chicken is a little dry, but nothing horrible. We still had a good experience. Pretty good overall. No reason to give less than five stars. read more

A all too typically sanitized version of Vietnamese food geared towards the taste of a typical central Jersey diner. Spring rolls filled with lettuce and little else,2 minuscule Cha Gio per serving,no fish sauce or chili on tables. Small portions of tasteless and under seasoned dishes,Pho broth that tastes flat,bland and appears to have come from a packet that can be purchased from any Asian market,very little protein in soups,refrigerated and old sliced onions and Jalapenos, no Thai chilies. After 2 meals dining on what should be the mainstay of any good Vietnamese restaurant it has become apparent that what Vietnam Bistro serves as Pho is a embarrassment. Not good. read more

No matter what's ordered, you can count on it being fresh and tasty. They are byob. The service is top- notch. My family and I always enjoy our meals there. read more

This place is so wonderful. A truly authentic pho restaurant. I happened to be driving down Rt. 9 one day and looked to my left and saw this restaurant had just opened and just had to stop in. And I'm so glad I did! The food here, I've tried numerous dishes and have never been disappointed (broken rice dishes, noodles, spring rolls, calamari, chicken wings, drinks, everything) but their pho is truly unlike what I've tasted here stateside. There are plenty of fusion Asian places and pho places but I feel those are watered down versions. I think this place has truly an authentic pho. The food comes out very quick and is very yummy! You really can't go wrong with any of their dishes. My favorites are their pho (I like the tendon and rare steak version), calamari (it's different from traditional Italian calamari), chicken wings and their fresh summer rolls with sheedded pork skin. When you order take out, I especially love that they pack their pho in separate containers - one for the noodles, one for the soup and one for the toppings (jalapeño peppers, cilantro, basil and bean sprouts). I've had some places pack it all together and if I'm saving it for the next days lunch, that isnt helpful. The owner is very nice and always takes the time to speak with each guest at the restaurant. He sometimes even tells you how he makes pho (though he doesn't give the recipe away)! The staff is always friendly and courteous. A must if you want pho. read more

Vietnam Bistro - Vietnamese Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

I was very impressed by Vietnam Bistro! The food was delicious and the prices are very affordable. Service was excellent too. BYOB. We had steamed dumplings, beef and broccoli, and pho (p9 & p10). I definitely recommend giving it a try. read more

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Very lovely place. Nice down home but with a bit of an intimate feel. Great place for a date. Had a soup with seafood and summer rolls. Great flavor for a great price. I will be back over and over. read more

I love this place! I've come here several times specifically for the pho which is delicious. I swear this stuff is medicine if you have a cold. The crispy calamari with black pepper and sautéed onions is also great. It's a family owned business and the owner is so nice and friendly. read more

Great Vietnamese original food. Very friendly staff and reasonable pricing. Quaint atmosphere also

doesn't taste like it coming from a việt i don't really understand why it's called việtnam bistro read more

This is the best Vietnamese restaurant I've ever been to. And I've been to a lot. They make the food accessible without compromising the original Viet flavors. The pho is really killer here but the sleeper is the calamari. Blew me out of the water. Owner came out of the back to chat, too. Really nice guy, came out and went table to table to ensure everyone was enjoying their meal. read more

SUMMARY: This restaurant serves fresh, delicious, out of this WORLD Vietnamese food. If you are in the Freehold/Lakewood area, DO NOT let your unfamiliarity with the cuisine stop you from discovering this absolute gem. Since discovering Vietnamese food, it has been one of my favorite cuisines. While I originally couldn't tell the good from the bad, I have eaten at a ton of restaurants promising big bowls of fresh, satisfying pho with plenty of side dishes to go along with it. None of those restaurants deliver on that promise as well as Vietnam Bistro. This is an absolutely outstanding, authentic Vietnamese restaurant parked on our very own Route 9. This restaurant is located in the strip mall next to the White Castle and comes up on you quickly as you go north on 9. My family and I found the place (had quite a few families eating for a Thursday night), sat down, and promptly ordered two appetizers: the shrimp and shredded pork summer rolls. They were big, thick rolls of bright green leaves and absolutely succulent meats. The pork was unbelievable (highly recommended) and it all was very obviously made just seconds before it was brought to our table. For dinner, we had the house special pho, a barbeque pork and egg roll vermicilli dish (B2 on the menu, I believe), and a chicken curry rice dish (D7 on the menu). The pho was flavorful, with lots of delicious meat and absolutely no oily grease coating the top of the soup. The vermicilli had tiny egg rolls and lots of that delicious pork from our summer rolls, and the rice was equally impressive. We finished off with a taro boba in a tall glass with soft tapioca pearls. One of the most endearing features of this restaurant is its owner, Phil. Phil served us all of our food personally, gave us suggestions about what to order, and even took the time to learn our names. He is very personable and especially sensitive to the fact that many people may not have had Vietnamese food before. He is very patient at giving you recommendations and is constantly available and approachable without hovering too much at all. Phil mentioned beginning a new "family menu" soon so that you can get a meal to share "family style" with several plates. Essentially, if you never have had Vietnamese food before (it's somewhat rare in the Central NJ area), this is the place to start. If you have, here is a great, new restaurant that will give you authentic, unbelievably fresh food at a bargain right in your own backyard. Nick read more

Yay for the HUGE portion! See my picture to judge for yourself. I ordered take-out so I can't evaluate the service, but my food was ready for me when I arrived at the store and the host/owner was friendly and helped me right away. I really appreciated how they packed my pho. I would usually prefer to eat pho and other noodles + soup type dishes in the restaurant because I strongly dislike mushy, soggy, or overcooked noodles...but I was exhausted after a long day of work, so I just want to unwind at home so I got pho as takeout and I was impressed by how they packaged it. First, they packed everything so well that even when it fell over in my car, nothing spilled (given I re-straightened it within a few seconds for fear that my car would smell if it spilled.) I also liked how when I did combine the soup with the noodles, the noodles were still at that near perfect texture. The stock was tasty. They get points for letting me customize my pho to only have brisket as my choice of meat instead of the usual beef eye round, brisket, and flank and tendons...but the meat was tough! :( I usually like brisket because it's so fatty and tender, but it wasn't! I don't know if they were just afraid to undercook it or if the meat is usually so tough...DISAPPOINTMENT. I still give this place 4 stars because I enjoyed my pho and whenever I'm in the area and craving pho, I'd still go because of the good stock, noodles, and portion...I'll just request flank and meatballs...or maybe I'll give brisket another shot at this place. I also got their beef and mixed veggies. It came with rice and it was delicious! Beef was tender (but I suspect they use tenderizer?) and the veggies were crunchy and plentiful. Again, great portion size and satisfying. read more

Vietnam Bistro - pho take-out on the left and beef and mixed veggies on the right. - Vietnamese Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

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This was my first time here and definitely not my last. We ordered the egg rolls which were made perfectly, had a really nice crisp and very tasty authentic sauce. We also ordered the steamed dumplings to start and they were not too doughy, very easy to eat! For my meal, I ordered the B12 spicy beef bowl and it was full of flavor and spices! read more

Vietnam Bistro - Can't go wrong with a bowl of spicy beef noodles. - Vietnamese Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

My first "local" Pho fill (located in a strip mall along Route 9) and there was a lot to be happy about. It started first by meeting Phil, the owner, who allowed us to sit wherever we wanted since the restaurant was empty on a mid-afternoon. He personally introduced himself, asked us our names and addressed us by them the entire time. Great, personable guy and thus, great, personable service. We started by sharing an order of summer rolls with a side dipping sauce, which I thought were really good, especially with the shrimp and pork combination. I was actually kind of hoping there would have been more than just two. We also each ordered a different Pho option, the beef special and the chicken, which not shockingly, arrived in two huge, over-sized bowls. After adding all the side veggies and hot sauce, we put our offered chopsticks to work (silverware already at each table). I somehow completely finished my entire bowl and we took the extra to-go. During the meal, I was anticipating on this easily being a five-star rating. That is, until we got the bill. Okay, the Pho was a little more than other places I've been to (almost ten bucks), but it was the drink prices that really made me go, "Huh!?" $3.45 for a lemonade and $3.90 for two Dr. Peppers (didn't realize there aren't free refills) were way out-of-whack in my opinion. Considering I almost always order ice water, I was disappointed I varied my routine this time. Other than that, this is a great place to get your Vietnamese/Pho fix. They also deliver locally and I think it is "cash only", but I'm not 100% sure. There's an ATM there, just in case. 4.5 Stars. read more

This place is great. We went around 5pm. The place wasn't busy at all, only two table were occupied. At first I thought maybe a bad sign, but I'm glad we stayed. First off the service was excellent, the server was very nice and attentive. We started out with the summer rolls and the vegetarian summer rolls. Both were perfectly done. The filling was fresh. The vegetarian one had tofu instead of pork and shrimp. It was different but good. only thing was I wish they had cut them in half, they come as two whole rolls which hard hard to cut with the butter knife on the table. But not really a big deal. Will definitely order again. The Pho was perfect. I wish I found this place sooner. I got the pho with rid eye steak. It was very good. I liked the flavor of the broth very much. The portion was great. This is one of the best I have had. My kid had the stir fry vegetables (v1 on the menu) which was also good. And don't forget the bubble tea. This place has traditional bubble tea with many flavors. This stuff was just like you get in nyc. Very good. The coconut flavor was delicious. And it was only $1.99. we got them to go, next time we have to order a second one for later, they are that good... The prices were very reasonable. $9 for Pho. We will definitely be coming back here soon. read more

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In a small strip mall lies a quiet, unassuming place. But go inside and you will be treated to some delicious food. Our party had a combination appetizer platter that contained several different items from chicken wings, shrimp, spring rolls and more with several sauces which complemented the food. Then we had pho, which you can get in a smaller or larger bowl. Flavorful, not salty, and with plenty of noodles. The beef we asked for was thinly sliced to cook in the soup. I asked for a hot tea and for $1 had a full teapot, which was more than sufficient. I could have used a little more beef in the pho but the flavor was delicious and between the appetizer and the pho we left fully satisfied. read more

The pho here is decent. The broth is tasty though you have to be careful with the hot sauce because a little goes a long way and I unfortunately had to learn the hard way. We also got the summer roll appetizer with shrimp and pork which was alright as was the sauce. The service here is actually a lot more hospitable than the typical Vietnamese pho places that I am use to, which is a plus. They also serve bubble tea with the usual flavors which I believe are made with the powder. It is alright. Not worth the $4. One thing I noticed was they seem to cheap out on the meat in the pho and the pork in the summer roll wasn't the usual pork but rather the lunch meat version. The bubble tea also didn't have many tapioca pearls and was not chewy, like it had been sitting around for some time. Overall I think everything tastes okay however with the prices being a bit higher than usual, I would expect the same quantity or better quality as other pho places. Unfortunately it is evident they are cutting costs on a lot of their items.. Which makes the quality go down and that is not cool. I'd go back again as the flavor of the pho broth is decent but would just not get any appetizers or other drinks. read more

Tried Vietnam Bistro Sunday. Nice and deceptively roomy inside, with bright, clean tables away from the counter area. Very friendly service. I haven't had much experience with Vietnamese food, so I'll use the bustling Asian crowd at lunchtime to vouch for their quality and authenticity. Some of the items weren't available due to working out the kinks with their suppliers, but a genuine desire to please is evident. The iced Vietnamese coffee was the best I've had, rich, complex, and chocolatey. I also sneaked a taste of Brian's pad thai, and found it to be likewise excellent, as was my enormous bowl of Tofu Pho. I was also excited to see a tofu Bahn mi on the menu that I've already ear-marked for a future visit. Everything we sampled was fantastic, with the freshest ingredients and no corners cut. read more

I'm a huge fan of Vietnamese food and have long regretted the lack of it in and around Jackson, NJ. It was with great hope that my wife and I visited the Vietnam Bistro for the first time tonight--and we weren't disappointed. The decor is plain. Perhaps a dozen tables of varying sizes and styles. A few, stock, Vietnamese wall decorations, and an unadorned room screen in the back, by the restrooms. The portion visible to the customer is clean and orderly. My wife ordered a seafood soup and I ordered a sliced beef soup. We had fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork for an appetizer. The spring rolls were obviously recently made, rather large, and quite carefully rolled. The wrapper was thin, fresh, and had the correct amount of "bite". The filling was generous and balanced between the various ingredients. The sauce was a standard, sweet, peanut garnished dish. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing exceptional. Overall, the rolls were a good value and a nice lead in to the main dishes. Both soups were very generous portions, served piping hot, but not scalding. The seafood was fresh, full flavored, and well garnished. The beef was tender and present in a surprisingly large quantity. We shared a huge helping of raw bean sprouts, limes, and oddly, sliced jalapeno peppers. Both soups were appropriately seasoned, full of not over cooked noodles, and not smothered in cilantro and green onions, as is often the case at more moderately priced Vietnamese restaurants. Combine the excellent food, decent prices, and friendly service and they have a real winner here. We'll be back soon. read more

I love vietnamese food, there's definitely not enough places in new jersey! this place was really great, the staff was really nice too. my only regret was not getting the pho, i had bun (it was good but my friends made me jealous eating pho right next to me) read more

Best Authentic Pho I have had in New Jersey. Always great hospitality from the owner Phil.

I live local to this restaurant and since I discovered it I have made it one of my more frequent stops to dine. I find the prices more than reasonable for the freshness and flavour Phil brings to the table. I personally like going in for the lunch special, the bahn mi is to die for, and for around five buck? Suck it subway! Within a couple visits I had built a friendship with the owner, and we are now on a first name basis. The service is great and he will show you the best items to try on his menu if you are unfamiliar, although from my experience thus far there is nothing on the menu that will leave you displeased. So in short, I am doing what I've done- spreading the good word to bring buisness to a guy who works hard and delivers quality food for a reasonable price. read more

Vietnam Bistro - B 18. My new favorite dish as a regular customer. Lettuce wraps with grilled meatball and pork. - Vietnamese Near Me - Howell, New Jersey

The food here is delicious! My parents ordered the pork spring rolls and loved them. We also had the pho, which makes it worth heading over there. The staff is so friendly and eager to make suggestions so that you have the best dinner possible. I had the mango bubble tea to finish, and it was so good! Everything we ate for dinner was absolutely amazing, and the owner personally comes to every table to check on the guests. This is a place anyone in the area should be sure to try! read more

How have I not reviewed this place yet?! It's my go-to for pho, and I hold it very near and dear to my heart because my now-fiance and I came here for our engagement celebration dinner. The beef broth is on point (sorry to use Guy Fieri-speak, but there you have it), and the egg rolls are delicious. Whatever meat you get in your pho will be awesome... I've tried the house special, chicken, and the eye round with meatballs, and all are consistently well-prepared. The bubble smoothies are refreshing, and the tapioca has the perfect amount of chew. The salty lemonade is different but tasty; if you've tasted preserved lemons, you know what to expect. The service is friendly and prompt, and the space itself is very clean and inviting. I have no idea why some places *cough*Chili's*cough*Applebee's*cough* are crazy crowded on Friday nights while this place isn't, because it's definitely solid and has way more interesting fare. Come on, people, I can only eat so much of this amazing food myself! read more

Great Pho soups for a local place. Would recommend making the trip. Local place and not much fluff but the food is great

What a great find in Howell. The service is excellent and they can explain a dish if this is new to you. I had the Pho which was excellent. read more

The place itself is clean and pleasant, and cozy. Service was quick. First, we had the calamari, which was fresh and tasty. Then, we got the Pho (P7) and it was underwhelming; it was quite salty with little amounts of beef and noodles, and too much broth. Then, we got the bubble tea, which was very sweet but good. Overall, an average Vietnamese place. read more

A welcome oasis of delicious Vietnamese food in a desert of mostly Italian and Fast Food options on US Highway 9 near I-195. I've eaten here about a dozen times now for a weekday lunch and it's some of the best Vietnamese food I've had in NJ. The Pho is the king here...delicious base, proper veggies accompanying the pho (with Thai basil), and a killer price at $6.95 at lunch. Just enough to fill you up, but not the usual massive portion you'd usually expect when I usually order Pho just as a FYI. I also really love Bahn Mi sandwiches made here...crisp outside/soft inside French bread with pickled veggies, cilantro, and my favorite meat choice for it is the grilled pork. If you haven't tried a Bahn Mi and you love sandwiches in general, do yourself a favor and order it. Finally, the staff are super friendly and I've always been greeted with a smile. Service is fast unless it is super busy, but even then it's still very quick. Overall a top 5 lunch choice for me and my co-workers/friends anywhere in the Lakewood/Howell area. I feel torn writing this review because I want to stay a secret...but I think it's a secret worth sharing so it stays around a long time, so eat here! read more

Food was fabulous. Dishes were well prepared. Ingredients were fresh. Nice presentation. Dishes were served quickly and hot. Excellent service. I would highly recommend this restaurant. I wish I lived closer! read more

When: Friday evening several weeks back. What: Special pho and rice dish Good: Pho tastes decent. Rice dish below average. Bad: portion and price. Verdict: I drive by this place everyday to and from work. I've eaten at a lot of VN restaurants, particularly in Philly. The pho soup tasted ok. Unfortunately, everything else is mimnimal...noodles and meat. If you're hungry this place is not for you. The special pho is $10. You will never see such a price like this at another VN restaurant. The same goes for the rice dish, which was also ok except for the pork chop which was mainly fat. If you're going to charge me that much, give me a bowl not half a bowl. I can guarantee you will not find Vietnamese people here, only Americans. It's a shame since it's the only VN restaurant around. read more

This place has the best pho i've had in New Jersey so far. Giant portions, I dream of pho and when I wanna stop dreaming and get the good stuff I go here. The bubble tea is off the chain too! read more

Just went there to pick up bubble tea, at first i was upset because it was frappe, by I was surprised when I tried, very good. I will be going back for more. read more

My husband and I had lunch here before heading to the outlets. Service was great and very friendly! For appetizers we ordered the fried chicken wings and grilled clams. Chicken was really tasty and crispy. I enjoyed the clams but my husband said it was too chewy. For our lunch entree, I ordered the noodles with grilled pork and egg rolls. It was very tasty! I loved it!!! My husband loved the grilled pork chop over rice! Overall, we would come back here again when we're around the area. Good service. Clean surroundings and awesome food!!!! read more