Thanh Thanh 2

Delicious food, friendly staff, quick service, and great prices, I’ve yet to find a place I like more than Thanh Thanh.

5 stars should be enough. So far. I this has been the best Vietnamese restaurant in Maine yet. This restaurant definitely beats their competition across the street called «Saigon» because the staff is was really friendly to us and what we ordered was beef phở, porkchops and dumplings which was excellent because it was so rich in flavor it makes it my main stop for Vietnamese whenever i’m around the area. Will definitely recommend and I don’t think I will be back at Saigon until a little while.

The tofu vermicelli was bland but my friend liked the phở.
Not the best Vietnamese food I’ve had but not the worst either.
The fried dumplings are deep fried, not pan fried which makes them very crispy. The spring rolls are very bland with pretty much nothing but vermicelli, a little lettuce and a small bit of flavor.
The staff is very nice.

I have dined at Thanh Thanh at least 7 times in the last 6 months and the phở has been fairly consistent. If you look around the restaurant, the phở is what most of the regulars order. It’s the only thing I order when I go and the medium is just the right size.
The broth is always beefy and complex – the charred ginger and star anise flavors make it the best phở broth I have tasted in Portland. This is just as good as phở from Los Angeles or Orange County, CA. The noodles always come out slighty al dente/​chewy. My only gripes about the place are 1) sometimes the broth does not come out hot 2) the plate of herbs is missing sawtooth herb. The service can also be a little slow at times.

I’ve had many bowls of phở in my lifetime, some good, lots bad, and a few great, and I’m happy to report that this place knows how to make a great bowl of noodles. The broth and noodles definitely rank up there with Little Saigon and the San Gabriel Valley in California, which is great since I now live on the East Coast.
The broth is so good that I usually drink it all up. I’ve been here 3 – 4 times and it’s been very consistent. It’s not always perfect, but since the best times were so delicious, this place gets a 5! Highly recommend if you want authentic phở.

Going to eat phở was the very first thing I did in Portland. Mostly because the lobster places I wanted to visit wouldn’t open until later, but still. There were a few Vietnamese options in the area, but I chose Thanh Thanh 2 in honor of my mom, Thanh-​Toan.
The interior was larger than I thought, with an interestingly rustic, old-​fashioned style. There was a fish tank that seemed devoid of fish, some artificial flowers scattered about, and a large bar area. The bubbly, friendly owner doubled as the server, and she helpfully bounced around the few early customers, engaging them in conversation. I observed her being honest with another customer about the MSG content in the food — «There is a little,» she was saying. «We do put a small amount. Any Vietnamese restaurant in this area that tells you they don’t, they’re lying.»
The menus were cute. I liked the engraved design, with a metallic girl in a classic ao dai and non la gracing the cover. Inside, the selection was surprisingly large, with the usual options as well as unexpected items like pad Thai. Phở came in three sizes — small ($ 8.50), medium ($ 9.50) and large ($ 10.50). I really wanted to try their spicy Thanh Thanh sate phở, which was only 50 cents more — it seemed more unique, but I did feel obligated to try their original. I ended up ordering a medium phở dac biet. I was ravenous after a red-​eye to Washington D.C. and a short flight up to Portland, and I immediately started digging in.
The phở was delicious! The broth was densely flavored with cinnamon and beef, exactly what I’d been seeking. The meats were tender, and the noodles had soaked in a lot of flavor. The portion looked small, but was larger than I thought as it filled me up. I was very impressed. The owner checked on me, which I appreciated. The only weird part was when she brought the phở and asked if I needed a fork. Um, I’m okay.
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for Vietnamese food.
Check out more phở experiences at

Always great phở. The squid app is a nice diversion from the ubiquitous fried rings. I keep going back and always leave pleased.

I appreciate this Vietnamese restaurant for several reasons. The hostess is very pleasant, eager to offer her best service, and is easy to communicate with.
The food is quite acceptable, my favorite is Phở soup. The value is outstanding, and the service is generally very fast, which is always something I appreciate any casual restaurant.

I always have a soft spot for a place that introduced me to a specific dish. Thanh Thanh 2 was my first introduction to Phở, and I don’t think I could love anyplace else quite as much as I love it here for that specific reason.
I’ve been a number of times, but this time I came with my friend Chelsea, since she’s home after having been in England for a year. I was not disappointed, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be disappointed.
What we shared:
— Steamed dumplings (6) — A perfect amount of very flavorful pork filling & perfectly steamed. We downed these pretty quickly, because we’re dumpling fanatics.
— Fresh spring rolls (2) — They do contain shrimp, so just be aware. But they’re definitely fresh! I 100% believe that Thanh Thanh 2 also has the best peanut sauce. Yum yum yum! Chelsea and I even dipped our dumplings in the peanut sauce and loved it.
What I Had:
— PH5 (rare steak & well-​done brisket) — This is my go-​to phở. The brisket is always well… well-​done! And the steak is thin and delicious. There have been visits to other Vietnamese restaurants where I’m lucky to get more than 4 pieces of beef, but I always get a generous amount of meat in my phở, and I’m always happy. PLENTY of rice noodles! Also: If you’re not really in to rice noodles, I’ve seen many people order phở with their yellow noodles… but I’m a little bit of a purist, I suppose… so rice noodles it is! The broth is always delicious without being too salty, which is also a problem I’ve had at other restaurants. Naturally, it comes with the fresh toppings you’d expect: Bean sprouts, jalapeño, Thai basil, and a lime wedge. (:
What Chelsea had:
— PH6 (Rare steak & tendon) — I did not try Chelsea’s dish, but she swears by it & thoroughly enjoyed it. She said the tendon was scrumptious!
SO: Go to Thanh Thanh 2. It’s great (:

Awwwww yeah. Now that’s what I’m talking about. When it’s cold and windy outside, come here to warm up with a giant bowl of Phở. I may have ordered too big of a bowl, but I don’t care! I ordered a medium bowl of Phở with beef and it was gigantic, but I was starving. There was also a plate of fresh items to add to the broth including basil, bean sprouts, lime slices and jalapeño. The broth itself was rich and flavorful. I’m pretty sure mine was loaded with ginger because it a slightly sweet aftertaste that I really enjoyed. I ripped up a ton of basil and tossed it in. I’m pretty sure I inhaled most of it until I realized that my eyes were definitely bigger than my stomach and couldn’t finish the whole bowl. I really wanted to though. It was just that tasty.
We also ordered their dumplings which were some of the best I’ve had and I consider myself a dumpling expert. They were extra crispy on the outside and stuffed fill of ground pork. The dumpling to filling ratio was pretty spot on. Sometimes I’ve had them where the dumpling dough is so thick that it’s all you taste. Not so in this case.
The restaurant doesn’t look like much on the outside and the parking lot is pretty small, but don’t let that keep you from trying it out. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

When pulling up to Thanh Thanh’s the only thing I wanted or ever cared to really look at on the menu was the Phở. I was cold. The wind had been cutting into me and I had just seen a good albeit a crazy movie («Birdman», really go see it). Walking in I noticed that there was no one here. Granted at 4 on a Sunday, Portland really does seem to close down a lot.
I tried to flip through my menu all of the pages were stuck together (semi gross) but found the Phở. All the glorious menu items of rare beef, beef tenderloin, meatballs, and brisket. I ordered the Phở Dac Biet which was amazing. I just ordered the small bowl and it was the perfect size. You are still going to get a ton of food with the small but if you are in need to be gluttonous medium and large are also some options.
We also ordered the dumplings. There were panned fried and crispy. The plum sauce a great addition.
Highly recommend. The prices have increased slightly but they still provide excellent food. The parking lot is pretty small but you can park down the street that abuts the property as well.

Wonderful food, excellent service, good prices and there were several Vietnamese people eating there. We’re very glad the restaurant we were aiming for was closed on Sunday so that could just randomly find Thanh Thanh 2.

My new favorite Thai spot. Have the marinated grilled beef over rice with fish sauce and cucumbers and tomatoes on the side. Solid, hearty food, like you’re sitting at the supper table of a welcoming Thai family.
The service is wonderfully sweet and attentive and the price is right. You can’t go wrong here. It’s great Thai, exotic AND comfort food all in one.

Pretty good overall. The food comes in large quantities and I highly recommend trying the milkshakes (basically high quality slush bubble tea). This place has a nice family feel to it. The service took a while but the overall quality of the food made up for it. I’d personally avoid getting the beef tendon. The prices on their website seem to all be slightly lower than those in the store (prices may be subject to change frequently). Friendly service.

Me and my daughter absolutely LOVE this restaurant! I love Phở, and I’ve had it all over the country. This place is probably the best i’ve had. My daughter is obsessed with the chicken fried rice. She begs me to take her there. The lady who works there during the week is amazing. The guy who works there on weekends is horrible, cause he sits there watching tv and ignores customers, but the food is so good, I put up with his horrible service. All in all, the food is amazing, and the service is great 5 days a week!

I have loved every day of my life (style) as a vegetarian. Every now and again, though, culinarily speaking it can be — what’s best described as a — bummer. When you hear a place in town as THE BEST PHO EVER you hope against hope that they serve a veg-​friendly option (which, understandably, most authentic places don’t… I get that). I was a little bummed to find out that Thanh Thanh 2 does not. The lady very kindly explained that they were all — even their «vegetable» options — were made with either beef or chicken stock. Woe is me, I guess. However, my friend ended up getting the beef steak/​tendon option (either PH2: Chin Nam Gan or PH3: Chin Nam — I can’t remember) and loved it. Hearty, warm soup with just a touch of spice in the broth, tender pieces of meat, a bounty of noodles, and the traditional fixin’s on the side. When he asked the waitress which size he should get, she suggested the medium. Either she’s been reading other Unilocal reviews, or they’re one of the most honest restaurants in town (because there was no upselling here). She came right out and told him — small wasn’t enough, large wasn’t worth it because it was just more broth, and the medium was just right (the Three Bears agree).
I ended up getting A2: Goi Cuon Dau Hu (vegetarian fresh spring rolls with tofu, rice vermicelli, and shredded lettuce served with peanut sauce) for $ 3.50. They — in my humble, non-​Vietnamese knowledgeable opinion — were not that great. They just seemed really rubbery and bland. Neither my lunch-​mate nor I finished ours. However, the peanut sauce they come with? It does NOT MATTER what you get — ask for a side of this peanut sauce and slather it on positively everything, got me?
I also got the DH1: Dau Hu Xao Cao Ro (stir fried tofu with Chinese broccoli) for 7.95. I was hesitant about ordering it, so I asked the lovely waitress if it was meat, chicken, and seafood free. She nodded enthusiastically. «You’re sure there’s no oyster sauce or anything?» I pressed. A big smile crept across her face, and she reassuringly stuck her hand out as if she was reaching for me, «No meat. No seafood. No oyster sauce. No animal product of any kind. I promise.» Man, I love that sort of reassurance. The dish itself was just perfect. I would order it again without hesitation. One serving was big enough for two meals — I always finish a meal that’s delicious (even if it hurts to do so), but there was just SO MUCH Chinese broccoli that I couldn’t eat another bite long after stuffing myself silly. The tofu had a wonderful, dense texture; the Chinese broccoli seemed fresh and had just enough of a crunch in the stems.
Also — our waitress was one of the most personable and humorous servers I’ve had in the city. She alone is worth coming for!
Like everyone else has said: don’t let exterior of this building fool you… what lies within (the food, the staff) is totally worth your time!

Love it here! I got raw beef salad, phở sate with beef balls and calamari appetizer. Everything was delicious. My advice is to try «RAW» beef salad. it is raw and amazing. you would be surprised when it is served and after first bite, you would go like «WOW» ‚“It doesn’t taste like raw meat.” Also, their beef soup is flavorful and very filling.
P. S. don’t expect to high about the atmosphere or go there for romantic dinner… it’s a place to go there and really enjoy the food.

Big bowls of phở when it’s raining and you have a terrible cold make the world a bit better of a place. We were in Portland for basically one day and it rained the whole time and we were all sick with a cold and cough but the phở was excellent and the summer rolls and dumplings were very good.

With other options around the area for some good and fresh vietnamese cuisine, Tanh Tanh 2 is a place that you need to give a try.
This location is located catty-​corner to Dominos pizza on Forest Avenue which impedes parking during the times that people are trying to get some dinner and diving into the pizza joint right next door. So, some of the best times to try parking in the small 5 – 6 spot lot would be around 7pm or so.
I have always been a fan of the vietnamese soup called Phở (like I have to tell foodies about this delicacy) and Tanh Tanh definitely delivers in this area with a very wide range of different options in the noodle soup. You can go with options that have all meat products with flank steak or a delicious and spicy vegetarian style Phở. They actually have 14 different styles of Phở which is probably the most that I have seen in any of the local vietnamese restaurants.
The service is always great here where they are attentive and are ready and willing to help you and meet your needs making it easier for a first timer coming in to dive into the world of Phở … which you should also be asking yourself, «Self, why have I never tried this thin noodled soup before?»
One of the drawbacks of this establishment is that they are not very nice to look at. The décor is plain and a little dirty with a large sized fish tank in the middle of the dining area that is actually half full with water most of the time. (poor fishies need some room to roam)
The restaurant also has a full bar and the price points here are really not all that bad. The appetizers are fresh and tasty but there is not a lot that you can do wrong with some great oriental appetizers.
So, if you are looking for a beautiful and picturesque restaurant that delivers in an experience, then Tanh Tanh is not your kind of place but, if you are looking for some really good and fresh food, then stop in and check them out.

TAKE-​OUT REVIEW ONLY
Yeah, take-​out review– Classic ridiculous cheap quasi-​Asian-​American restaurant décor. Don’t want to ruin the food with staring at the interior for an hour. BUT, the food is excellent. This place is providing very classic, authentic, well done Vietnamese fare with fresh ingredients. Granted, no surprises here on the menu but everything is done to traditional Vietnamese standards. A little pricey if you misorder your portion sizes, so I’d say always under order or go for not quite the largest portion available.