Saigon Market

In Short – This large, downtown outpost of the Vietnamese restaurant chain is housed in a former health food market and packed with budget-seeking diners and students. Giant tiled columns stretch to the high ceiling, where modern, staggered chandeliers hang. The tome-like menu covers all the basics: sugar cane shrimp, BBQ spareribs, soups, noodle dishes and stir-fries. Vegetarians get an ample section, with choices like curried okra and a veggie medley cooked in a pasta basket with peanut sauce.

Editor's Tips

Lunch Spot:: Lunch specials, available 1pm-4pm on weekdays, offer a variety of dishes for under $6.
Dine at Bar:: The bar seating affords a nice view of the restaurant, and the full-fledged drink menu include options like a pomegranate margarita ($10).
The Extras:: Visit the uptown location.

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User Reviews (24)

ambiance	88.88999938964844% positive	“The ambiance of this place is nice and dimlit, we enjoy coming here for lunch or dinner.” “The decor was nice but apparently the service did not catch up with the decor.” “Once seated, we took in the nice decor.” “This isn't really a romantic restaurant -- you'd go there with your family or a group of friends, and the atmosphere tends to be loud and energetic.” “The seats were comfortable and spacious and the whole restaurant itself is very large w. high ceilings.” “Atmosphere is comfortable and not typical of Vietnamese restaurant with minimum wait unless you come on a weekend night.” “Plus the treat was the reasonable price - average dishes ran $10 - but the buzzing scene, ambiance and that lighted wall of liquor bottles - it could have easily charged more - Service was clipped but efficient.” “This branch has it all -- nice decor, great location, and the city's best non french-fusion Vietnamese cuisine.” “like the location and the urban decor also.”
drinks	80.0% positive	“We had great Grey Goose cocktails, started with the assorted dumplings and the plum sauce roasted ribs (yum!)” “& one of their tasty cocktails to wash it all down.” “Alcoholic drinks are good but very expensive at $10 per drink.” “Saigon Grill has so far not disappointed the separate 5 times that I've been there - the wait area is cramped and can be crazy - but park yourself at the bar and have their excellent cocktails.” “However, the staff is rude, they yell when bringing food/drinks to the table, don't make eye contact, it almost seems as if they are annoyed to have to be there.”
food quality	80.64999580383301% positive	“My food came to the table 5 minutes after I ordered it: noodles stuck together like glue, way too skimpy on the meat, basil was blackening and wilted; the whole dish was cold; it was clear they re-stir-fried the lunchtime leftovers and tried to pass it of” “Dark, but good food” “Decent food, pricy for Viet food” “All in all, given the mediocre Vietnamese food in this city (compared to LA or DC), this is one of the better ones so I will keep coming back for more.” “was excited to see the sugarcane shrimp appetizer because its one of my favorites but very few restaurants in NYC have it.” “Plus the treat was the reasonable price - average dishes ran $10 - but the buzzing scene, ambiance and that lighted wall of liquor bottles - it could have easily charged more - Service was clipped but efficient.” “The food wasn't bad, but it's not as outstanding & authenic as in ctown.” “best beefcubes and noodles” “good food, TERRIBLE SERVICE” “& one of their tasty cocktails to wash it all down.” “If you can get through the fact that the food is not authentic Vietnamese food, you this place is for you.” “The prices are pretty good and the food is delic.” “much cheaper, authentic vietnamese in C-town), long waits, and recent picket lines formed by mistreated staff.” “Good food and cheap prices” “The food is not bad, but it's the service that makes all the difference.” “have gone there a few times, the food is good.” “Who cares what the food is like, I would never, ever support a business like this one by eating there.” “Went here for the lunch special and the food was great and the price was right.” “food was great just like the service.” “Horrible Service and mediocre food” “really love their dishes because they are close to authentic (not 100% there) but still very tasty.” “Anyway, my friend and I ordered the spring rolls, which were good, and I had a grilled eggplant dish while she had some chicken thing, and they were good.” “Besides these cons, dishes come out extremely quick (which at times, may leave you questioning whether they really did make your food or give you someone else's) The remaining variety of dishes offered are good but can be expensive.” “This branch has it all -- nice decor, great location, and the city's best non french-fusion Vietnamese cuisine.” “Regardless, the food here is pretty decent.” “However, the staff is rude, they yell when bringing food/drinks to the table, don't make eye contact, it almost seems as if they are annoyed to have to be there.” “We had great Grey Goose cocktails, started with the assorted dumplings and the plum sauce roasted ribs (yum!)” “Its a nice place, I dont care, if its authentic or not, I love the taste, its close to where I live and they deliver as well & thats what matters to me.” “the food is just the best you can get.” “We always go to saigon grill for the crispy fried fish, which is so delicious here, and also i would recommend the chicken soup appetizer which is just out of this world.” “Ok, the food here is great, but the prices are so cheap I had to look at the menu twice!”
menu variety	66.66999816894531% positive	“it's pretty nice on the inside and if the menu didn't have pictures on it, i could have been fooled that this was a much more snooty place.” “Ok, the food here is great, but the prices are so cheap I had to look at the menu twice!” “Besides these cons, dishes come out extremely quick (which at times, may leave you questioning whether they really did make your food or give you someone else's) The remaining variety of dishes offered are good but can be expensive.”
overall	80.0% positive	“it's pretty nice on the inside and if the menu didn't have pictures on it, i could have been fooled that this was a much more snooty place.” “Disappointed that I lost what was once my favorite Vietnamese restaurant: I will NEVER go back!” “Overall, I believe this is good place to bring a group friends but not family or children.” “Its a nice place, I dont care, if its authentic or not, I love the taste, its close to where I live and they deliver as well & thats what matters to me.” “best vietnamese place in town”
return potential	100.0% positive	“Disappointed that I lost what was once my favorite Vietnamese restaurant: I will NEVER go back!”
service	80.0% positive	“Manger was rude and inhospitable.” “Seems like this restaurant belongs in Chinatown where good service is not expected anyway.” “However, the staff is rude, they yell when bringing food/drinks to the table, don't make eye contact, it almost seems as if they are annoyed to have to be there.” “The decor was nice but apparently the service did not catch up with the decor.” “much cheaper, authentic vietnamese in C-town), long waits, and recent picket lines formed by mistreated staff.” “The food is not bad, but it's the service that makes all the difference.” “The service is really fast -- I think we ordered and were served within the space of 10 minutes.” “food was great just like the service.” “the service is fast.” “big article in the Metro Section of the NY Times said that this place fired their delivery staff when they complained that they were being paid $1.60 hour.”
value	100.0% positive	“Good food and cheap prices” “Ok, the food here is great, but the prices are so cheap I had to look at the menu twice!” “Besides these cons, dishes come out extremely quick (which at times, may leave you questioning whether they really did make your food or give you someone else's) The remaining variety of dishes offered are good but can be expensive.” “The prices are decent, and you can be in an out within one hour.” “The prices are pretty good and the food is delic.” “Went here for the lunch special and the food was great and the price was right.” “Plus the treat was the reasonable price - average dishes ran $10 - but the buzzing scene, ambiance and that lighted wall of liquor bottles - it could have easily charged more - Service was clipped but efficient.” “Alcoholic drinks are good but very expensive at $10 per drink.”
wait time	75.0% positive	“Besides these cons, dishes come out extremely quick (which at times, may leave you questioning whether they really did make your food or give you someone else's) The remaining variety of dishes offered are good but can be expensive.” “The service is really fast -- I think we ordered and were served within the space of 10 minutes.” “My food came to the table 5 minutes after I ordered it: noodles stuck together like glue, way too skimpy on the meat, basil was blackening and wilted; the whole dish was cold; it was clear they re-stir-fried the lunchtime leftovers and tried to pass it of” “much cheaper, authentic vietnamese in C-town), long waits, and recent picket lines formed by mistreated staff.”

11/02/11

Fill up and leave

by morningbreeze396

Pretty good vietnamese food here. Service is quick, food is ready fast. Nice atmosphere, but unlikely to impress anyone. It's a big space.

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01/19/09

Great place to dine at a very light check

by latouramg

The place is wonderful!

the pho-bo was really great! as well as the fried shrimp!

large portions, very filling

the service is normal I guess, especially for the price

Saigon Grill is usually very crowded, so if your a walk-in be prepared to wait a while.

will come back soon! I always get the cravings for some pho.

Pros: very inexpensive and large portions
Cons: service is close to none, had to wait a few minuites to get service

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10/20/08

GROSS RUDE RIP-OFF STAY AWAY

by sashiwa

My food came to the table 5 minutes after I ordered it: noodles stuck together like glue, way too skimpy on the meat, basil was blackening and wilted; the whole dish was cold; it was clear they re-stir-fried the lunchtime leftovers and tried to pass it off as dinner, or edible. Manger was rude and inhospitable. Disappointed that I lost what was once my favorite Vietnamese restaurant: I will NEVER go back!!

Pros: music
Cons: food, value, service

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08/24/08

good food, TERRIBLE SERVICE

by LWilliams126

I have gone there a few times, the food is good. However, the staff is rude, they yell when bringing food/drinks to the table, don't make eye contact, it almost seems as if they are annoyed to have to be there. On a Saturday night, the bathroom looks like it hasn't been cleaned all day, and it makes you think about what the kitchen looks like. The prices are decent, and you can be in an out within one hour.

Pros: ambience, location
Cons: wait staff rude, dirty bathrooms

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08/18/08

Dark, but good food

by toasterbunny4

The lighting is really dim in this restaurant, which doesn't usually bother me, but it just seems a bit inappropriate for a group-style of atmosphere. This isn't really a romantic restaurant -- you'd go there with your family or a group of friends, and the atmosphere tends to be loud and energetic. Regardless, the food here is pretty decent. Nothing extraordinary, but the portion sizes are generous and I had no complaints about my dish. The service is really fast -- I think we ordered and were served within the space of 10 minutes. Impressive. On the other hand, it's so fast that it's almost rushed. We had barely sat down for 2 minutes when our server came up and said, "Ready???" No greeting or anything. I'm glad we already knew what we wanted, because I felt kind of intimidated. But again, it's not a romantic, lingering type of restaurant. It's great for groups though.

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Saigon Market

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What People Are Saying About Saigon Market

Justin Hartung

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Editor's Tips

11/02/11

Fill up and leave

by morningbreeze396

01/19/09

Great place to dine at a very light check

by latouramg

10/20/08

GROSS RUDE RIP-OFF STAY AWAY

by sashiwa

08/24/08

good food, TERRIBLE SERVICE

by LWilliams126

08/18/08

Dark, but good food

by toasterbunny4

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