Mott Pho Bang Restaurant

(212) 966-3797

157 Mott St
New York, NY 10013 40.7195 -73.9964

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Neighborhoods: Little Italy, Downtown

Price:

$

Last updated 8.16.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

Cash

Restaurant Special Features:

Brunch, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Asian, Vietnamese

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Mott Pho Bang Restaurant

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – At this busy Chinatown destination, the peach-painted dining room is packed most nights with groups of noodle-slurping neighborhood teens and families. Get your order in fast; service is brusque, and niceties such as water refills tend to be ignored. – – The Food – Half the Vietnamese menu is taken up by variations on pho, Vietnam's popular beef noodle soup. Go for the fiery, sweet-sour shrimp soup, packed with chunks of okra, pineapple and shrimp, flanked with starter plates like fat nuggets of grilled beef rolled in lettuce with rice noodles,…

Editor's Tips

What to Drink:
Wash it all down with knockout Vietnamese iced coffee or the oddly refreshing salty lemonade.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “Service is fine and low-maintenance decor is charming.”
  2. “No decor , no good service, just food.”
  3. “Perhaps not for a romantic occasion, but if sure makes up for that with its spacious accommodations, polite service and generous helpings -- and if you are with friends that you want to sit with for a long time, or simply enjoy an unhurried, delicious mea”
  4. “while the atmosphere is a little sparse and makes one think of street cafe's in Asia the food is reliably good and the restaurant is clean.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “Great coffee.”
food quality
90.4800033569336% positive
  1. “pork chop over rice is good too!”
  2. “Awesome Vietnamese food - love the beef/lettuce/rice noodles app, sauteed shrimp, scallops and calamari over noodles, bun, everything.”
  3. “My favorite appetizers include the grilled beef "bun hoi" or rice noodle wrap and the grilled pork topped on prawn chips.”
  4. “Worth the trip -- excellent pork fried rice and grilled pork over rice noodles.”
  5. “Also, the variety of Vietnamese dishes (while slightly limited) is good if you stick to the specialtys (you don't order steak in McDonnalds do you) so stick with the Pho, the Ban Cun, Ban Tap, and most of the roast (pork/beef/shrimp) over noodles - dishes”
  6. “No decor , no good service, just food.”
  7. “Perhaps not for a romantic occasion, but if sure makes up for that with its spacious accommodations, polite service and generous helpings -- and if you are with friends that you want to sit with for a long time, or simply enjoy an unhurried, delicious mea”
  8. “while the atmosphere is a little sparse and makes one think of street cafe's in Asia the food is reliably good and the restaurant is clean.”
  9. “Great food.”
  10. “The grilled shrimp with cold rice noodles is also good and of course the grilled pork chop over rice is delicious.”
  11. “big bowl of pho complete with all sorts of beef parts and noodles for a mere 5 bucks is better than anything.”
  12. “Great food & service for great value!”
  13. “always leave here content - full on amazing food and pleased at having spent so little money on it!”
  14. “My husband didn't like the food the 1st time I took him but the last time I did he found an entree he liked and is now mightily impressed with this place.”
menu variety
100.0% positive
  1. “Also, the variety of Vietnamese dishes (while slightly limited) is good if you stick to the specialtys (you don't order steak in McDonnalds do you) so stick with the Pho, the Ban Cun, Ban Tap, and most of the roast (pork/beef/shrimp) over noodles - dishes”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “This restaurant is THE favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the whole city of mine and my husband's.”
  2. “This is the best Vietnamese restaurant in New York City.”
service
100.0% positive
  1. “Great food & service for great value!”
  2. “The service is great (the waiters remember my "usual" order and that I like my bean sprouts blanched).”
  3. “Perhaps not for a romantic occasion, but if sure makes up for that with its spacious accommodations, polite service and generous helpings -- and if you are with friends that you want to sit with for a long time, or simply enjoy an unhurried, delicious mea”
  4. “No decor , no good service, just food.”
value
100.0% positive
  1. “always leave here content - full on amazing food and pleased at having spent so little money on it!”
  2. “(The salty lemonade is interesting, worth checking out!)”
  3. “Great food & service for great value!”
  4. “Perhaps not for a romantic occasion, but if sure makes up for that with its spacious accommodations, polite service and generous helpings -- and if you are with friends that you want to sit with for a long time, or simply enjoy an unhurried, delicious mea”
  5. “big bowl of pho complete with all sorts of beef parts and noodles for a mere 5 bucks is better than anything.”
  6. “Great prices with large portions is what makes this place the restaurant I go to at least once a week.”
  7. “very good, very cheap pho”
wait time
83.33000183105469% positive
  1. “Service was a bit slow - but was happy to find a good Pho restaurant while I was staying in”
  2. “Perhaps not for a romantic occasion, but if sure makes up for that with its spacious accommodations, polite service and generous helpings -- and if you are with friends that you want to sit with for a long time, or simply enjoy an unhurried, delicious mea”
4 Star Rating: Recommended

08/14/06

very good, very cheap pho

by kip80

this is one of the cheapest meals I've ever had in NYC- and a pretty good one. Stick to the pho and other traditional, simple Vietnamese dishes and you'll have a great time. The extra large bowl came steaming hot, filled with noodles and beef, and just the right flavor. The spring rolls were excellent too. This place is dirt cheap, but also very clean for the neighborhood and similarly priced places.

  • Pros: great Vietnamese staples, hearty pho, can't beat the price
  • Cons: hmm...none
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/17/06

Great, inexpensive Vietnamese food!

by sharopooks

This place is a great find, I've been coming here for years. Awesome Vietnamese food - love the beef/lettuce/rice noodles app, sauteed shrimp, scallops and calamari over noodles, bun, everything. (The salty lemonade is interesting, worth checking out!). Service is fine and low-maintenance decor is charming. The prices are unbelievable; have a feast for 2 for the prices that some places charge for an entree! I always leave here content - full on amazing food and pleased at having spent so little money on it! My husband didn't like the food the 1st time I took him but the last time I did he found an entree he liked and is now mightily impressed with this place.

  • Pros: Great food, Very inexpensive, Charming
  • Cons: Fluorescent lighting
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/27/05

Best Vietnamese in New York

by blatantdream

This is the best Vietnamese restaurant in New York City. The pho is great and you can have it so many ways. The "deep, star-anise perfume" mentioned in the editorial article... This person is definately not from Vietnam and knows nothing about real Pho. The service is great (the waiters remember my "usual" order and that I like my bean sprouts blanched). My favorite appetizers include the grilled beef "bun hoi" or rice noodle wrap and the grilled pork topped on prawn chips. The grilled shrimp with cold rice noodles is also good and of course the grilled pork chop over rice is delicious. You will not believe your check when you finish your meal. Great prices with large portions is what makes this place the restaurant I go to at least once a week.

  • Pros: inexpensive, great food, great service
  • Cons: decor
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/17/04

Great food & service for great value!

by monetcat

This restaurant is THE favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the whole city of mine and my husband's. Perhaps not for a romantic occasion, but if sure makes up for that with its spacious accommodations, polite service and generous helpings -- and if you are with friends that you want to sit with for a long time, or simply enjoy an unhurried, delicious meal for GOOD price. Highly recommended!

3.5 Star Rating: Average

11/07/03

Attention All Dieters!

by mayscafe

For the weight conscious folks, try the vietnamese chicken salad. (#36 or 37 on the menu). A greaseless, crispy, zesty, dieter's delight consisting of finely shredded cabbage and lettuce, doused with shredded chicken breast, peanuts, and the signature vietnamese sweet/sour sauce. Served cold. Yum!!

  • Pros: Lunch for under $5, fresh ingredients, generous portions
  • Cons: Pho on the salty side

The Details on Mott Pho Bang Restaurant

Place Categories:

  • great vietnamese food
  • polite service
  • favorite vietnamese restaurant
  • great price
  • great pho
  • delicious grilled pork chop
  • good pho sho
  • excellent pork fried rice
  • good grilled shrimp
  • enjoy meal
  • interesting salty lemonade
  • awesome sauteed shrimp
  • great coffee
  • awesome scallops
  • awesome bun
  • big bowl
  • great value
  • charming lowmaintenance decor
  • liked really
  • favorite appetizers
  • excellent spring rolls
  • recommended highly
  • good pho restaurant
  • cold rice noodles
  • great place
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