Ngon Vietnamese Bistro

Great environment/​atmosphere you wouldn’t expect from the outside of the restaurant. Red curry mussels tastes and are well-​prepared. Good cocktails. Phở is decent. Accessible via light rail, which is convenient.

Overall, I’ve always had good service here. It’s one of my favorite restaurants to go to on a cold, dreary Minnesota winter night. My go to dish at this restaurant? The ribeye phở — everything else is pretty pricey and varies in quality.
They have a beautiful bar, and good menu overall. That said, I had a horrible ramen experience there earlier this year and wouldn’t even give the ramen special a 1 out of 5 star. That said, if you’re going for phở, great ambience, and excellent bar, it’s a definite 4 star!

The phở broth is the best I’ve had and I have had phở in a lot of spots around the Twin Cities. The vietnamese coffee is delish even though it’s made and shaken at the bar vs the drip setup you normally see– and Im fine with that! My mom had the Saigon dip– so dang good that she cut me off a piece to try-​the bread was perfectly crusty. The vietnamese egg rolls were very tasty too. Its all you like and respect about Vietnamese food but just with some other fun elements here and there. Worth a visit.
***update: most recent experience was blah — they played some awful piano music that reminded me of something they would play in a saloon in the 1880’s wild west– it kept skipping and instead of putting on a new album the bartender just would find another spot on the record to try– they also seated people right next to us when the whole place was nearly empty– and that gentleman was on w business call the whole time– I wanted to eat my food as fast as possible and get out.

I was welcomed by the impressive tin ceiling and the clean, simple décor, perhaps a bit too institutional. The service was quick and efficient. I tried the vegan phở, the bun and a good Pilsner from Duluth. The phở was ordinary and bland, and the bun was palatable but uninspired. There was nothing wrong with the food, but nothing that hinted of any care or flare in the kitchen. Forgettable.

Love everything about this place! Great food, tasty drinks, beautiful décor. Would recommend for anyone looking for a more upscale phở experience. Stuff your face with some delicious Vietnamese food!

First off I want to put it out there that I am of Vietnamese decent so I grew up eating Vietnamese food. I have always heard mixed reviews about Ngon Vietnamese Bistro and have been tempted to try it. My brother and I were craving some Vietnamese so we went into try it out.
Their presentation is nice. You get a feeling of it being a nicer restaurant to go into because of how clean it is, the music playing, the huge bar display in the back and just the mannerism of the waiter and the host. I was impressed by that, but you knew right away this was not your «average» Vietnamese restaurant. It wasn’t.
The menu was filled with a few Vietnamese dishes but majority of it were other dishes that had little to nothing to do with Vietnam, none the less, Asia. My brother wanted the Vietnamese staple dish, Phở. I got egg rolls, and ordered two of the several happy hour options: banh mi and mini briskets. If we could rate dishes individually on Unilocal I would because I feel semi bad not being able to. The eggs rolls were awesome and I thoroughly enjoyed them, they were what was to be expected of great Vietnamese egg rolls. The banh mi sandwich was good, though I disagree that the sweet potato fries next to them were even that great. My marks sank for the briskets, they were very unappetizing, lacked flavor and the juices you would expect from a brisket. The Phở was not really that great nor was it awful. The broth was okay, just okay. My brother asked me if the noodles tasted strange, and I had some. They were noodles just not cooked all the way, so they still had a crunch to them and didn’t even soak up the brother at all so they lacked severely.
Overall I thought the experience was decent. The customer service was good, though my water had to be refilled by myself. The food was not worth coming back for, but I did enjoy the atmosphere.

The rabbit dumpling is a high light.
I like that they address the beef they use is grass-​fed beef. Not that it’s important to me, I just don’t understand why all the other suppose-​to-​be-​healthier-​asian-​restaurants never use the healthy recipes as a selling-​point.

Let me begin by saying I didn’t expect the place to be like it is. I’ll let you visit so you can experience for yourself.
I was not disappointed with the food at all. Everything was good. Service was very good, good was delicious.
Try the pork belly appetizer when you go. You will be surprised on the texture and yumminess (is that a word?!)
Maybe we’ll run into each other there.

Ngon Vietnamese Bistro takes the fusion of Vietnamese and French food to a new level! I had the pleasure of going here for a work lunch with a coworker, he described it as one of his favorite places to eat, that set the bar very high for me. We arrived a little before the lunch rush and had the place to ourselves for awhile. That did not last long and after a bit the place was packed!
The décor creates a feeling of relaxation and comfort. There is an air of craftsmanship that shows in the materials and details from hard wood floors and maple topped tables. The ceiling is silver painted tin that reminds me of growing up in small towns. On one end they have a very attractive bar that we were not able appreciate more than with our eyes. I noticed there was a section of local beers that I wanted to sample. Again, the craftsmanship came through in metal taps that were handcrafted by the owner himself, according to my dining mate, who turned out to be a walking wiki of this place. One more thing I liked is they have a rather large collection of vinyl and they kept some great tunes spinning while we enjoyed our food.
The craftsmanship continued into the food. This is a place that cares about the food thy produce. The ingredients they use are fresh and high quality and their preparation shows the same kind of thought and attention that they put into the décor. Many of the ingredients are locally sourced, which is an added bonus in terms of both freshness and environmental impact. The menu is limited to perhaps 25 or so items, but I am told it rotates frequently. This restaurant offers a French Vietnamese fusion menu, which one might find peculiar given the heavy French influence already present in Vietnamese food. Here they take it a step further and I found it both entertaining and interesting. I had the 5 Spice Sausage in a bed of Mashed Potatoes and Brussel Sprouts. Five Spice is a powerful thing and quickly dominates whatever you put it in. Adding it to sausage was a great idea. I make homemade sausage and this is something I am going to add to my bag of tricks. Sausage is one of those things that can handle intense flavors and this was no exception. I would have like a bit more heat to the sausage, but i tend to like spicy food and I understand they are cooking for people in Minnesota. The Potatoes were creamy and delicious. The Brussel Sprouts were perfectly grilled and still a little crunchy, this is my favorite way to prepare them. The dish was an Asian inspired version of Bangers and Mashed that was entertaining and satisfying.
Our server was friendly and attentive, she offered help and suggestions when she realized I was new. As things became busy, she still stopped by to check in. I was very pleased in this area as well.
I would like to come by some evening with my wife because this would be a wonderful place to have a nice relaxing dinner and I could spend some time sampling more from the bar. Overall, I can see why my dinning mate likes this place so much. I suggest you give it a try!

No, no, no. I’m giving Ngon Vietnamese Bistro 2 stars because of the interior of their restaurant and our waiter. But that’s it.
This is not an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. We were expecting the place to be more authentic, but it disappointed us. My family is Vietnamese, so it’s very rare that we can find a place that is actually authentic. I believe they do have more of a fusion twist to Vietnamese dishes, but I had the vermicelli noodles (Bun Thit Nuong in Vietnamese) with beef and it was NOT good. I went with my family and had the most uncomfortable dining experience with them because based on the menu, my parents did not want to buy anything. I felt bad, but the food was overpriced and a lot of the options on the menu didn’t appeal to them. My dad ended up walking out when the waiter wasn’t there because he was so frustrated. We tried not to be rude, and I still wanted to give the place a chance, so I ordered despite my very Asian parents that honestly made me sweat during the entire ordeal. Ordering was a mistake.
Our waiter was a nice man, and I’m sure he could feel the frustration within my family, but he tried our best to cater to us. He was courteous and patient. As I waited for my food, I couldn’t help but admire the interior of Ngon. The ceiling is almost distracting because of how beautiful the design is. The décor as well as the bar are elegant, and they clearly utilized the small space to the best of their ability.
When the noodles were brought out, I took a bite, and immediately didn’t want to finish the rest. The noodles were barely cooked. They were tough. Vermicelli noodles are supposed to be cold, so that was fine, but they were hard. The veggies were too thinly sliced and there wasn’t very much of it. The meat was the best part of the dish. It wasn’t fantastic, but my mom agreed with me that this was the only acceptable part of the dish. Not extremely flavorful, but in comparison to everything else in the dish, I liked it.
I don’t plan to return to Ngon soon unless they change up the menu, and stay true to the Vietnamese flavors that they claimed to uphold. Once again, NOT authentic Vietnamese food y’all. I’ll pig out at my mama’s house for the sake of authenticity.

The pork belly appetizer is amazing. Great flavor, cooked perfectly, just enough fat! Mmm. I wish there was more.
I had the duck phở, and it was alright. Loved the duck meat, but I don’t think it was worth the $ 20. I love me some phở, but not for that much. Glad I got to try it but probably won’t go with the duck again.
My boyfriend had the rib eye and he said that was great.

Have been three times. Each meal has been fantastic. Highly recommend the scallops. Great service too.

Fantastic phở! My family and I have been here many times, and it never disappoints. Very creative food and a great menu. Service is very good.

OKAY food quality but NOT authentic in the slightest.
Was craving phở but every other amazing phở place on university was closed after 8pm. So that left this place. Do not get tricked by the name, this place is an American’s invention of a Vietnamese restaurant. When we arrived to the place we had to even second guess whether it was the right restaurant. The décor and ambiance is beautiful, the tin roof is awesome, but I am not looking to pay $ 5 more for every appetizer and dish just to bask in a place that has mood lighting and curtains draped on the windows.
BUT three stars because the food quality was good. The egg rolls were some of the best I’ve had. But if you’re looking for good phở, look elsewhere. Quality okay again, the ribeye was fresh, but it tasted like my white grandma who works for whole foods made it on her day off. Not authentic.
Let’s just say I should have known the type and price of the dishes when I walked in a noticed everyone seated was old & white…

The first time I ate here I loved it. However, since then it has been a disappointment. Cute interior but I don’t think I will be able to go back here. There are so many other Vietnamese restaurants to try with better food.

Service was bomb. I get the feeling my server knew I was on my lunch break and pressed for time. He was there and not there perfectly.
I tried the grapefruit lavender house made soda. It was very delicious, but felt over priced at $ 4 for one little pint. The ribeye phở was so delicious! I stinking loved it and inhaled it. I really could have used sriracha or another hot sauce. There aren’t any sauces on the table. The server did swing by once, but left me alone because I was busy stuffing my face. (I was happy he did, so I can’t complain much.)

We have been regular diners at Ngon for about 5 years now, and can honestly say we’ve never had a bad experience. I used to stick with the French-​style entrees (their scallops are fantastic), but rarely stray from the traditional menu these days (Com Tam please!). Yeah, their phở is a few dollars more than the dive down the street, but it’s still a delicious bargain. And those places aren’t spinning vinyl at the bar or serving local brews, which I value. Also noteworthy is their active civic role in the neighborhood and city.

Saturday lunch of rabbit dumplings and phở with a lovely local beer. Atmosphere is nice, would like to come back on one of their music evenings. Phở broth was heavenly. Dumplings were good too, but I’m curious about the daikon cake and wished I’d ordered it. Service was personable if not totally polished. Prices are of course higher than the low-​key Vietnamese places around, and I’m aware I’m paying extra for both atmosphere, higher-​aiming menu and presentation (and cocktails!). I’m ok with that and like that there are both to choose from. Recommended.

The interior is nice.
The oxtail phở had good broth for an Americanized Vietnamese restaurant. The oxtail meat was tender and moist and they had all the fixings that traditional phở places have. When I received the soup the broth was lukewarm. It’s like they forgot to bring the food from the back and just left it waiting. Had to send it back to be reheated.
Con: Very slow service even when there was barely 5 tables in there.

Serious yummness! I had the ribeye phở and it may have been the best phở I have ever eaten. The broth was exquisite. Service was a little lackluster but may have been because I came during kind of a lazy lunchtime. The homemade soda was tasty, not sure I would order the grapefruit again but I’d try a different one, or even better, one of the craft cocktails if it were after 4pm. Will definitely be bringing the hubby back here to check it out!

This place is ok. My bf and I waited a very long time for our food. A very long time! Phở is over priced. Pork belly bun mi was average. The place is Americanized. Wouldn’t go again.

I had heard good things about this place and was excited to try it out.
Pros:
— The inside of the restaurant looks really nice and has a great atmosphere
— We happened to come on «date-​night» and there was a pianist and cellist playing — very nice!
Cons:
— Food was eh. One of my friends asked «is this authentic cuisine?» and the waitress excitedly told us yes, then shrugged and said «the traditional menu is most traditional». I have had much better Phở elsewhere (I won’t name drop, but the other well-​rated places in Minneapolis are outstanding in comparison). And considering ¾ of us got Phở, and one of Bun, I was surprised it took as long as it did for food to come out.
— Service was overall slow, but picked up on and off
Overall, I probably won’t go back, considering I can get better Phở elsewhere.

Service was top notch. Very clean classy joint for Vietnamese. More expensive than any of the other nearby places but the food was deeeeeelicious. I got the pork bun salad and it was incredible. Pork was amazing. Great flavor for the dressing. Love the atmosphere.

If you are looking for a place for western food and eastern food at the same time, this is the place to go. Great place to have a conversation too!

Sadly, all good things apparently come to an end in the world of restaurants. During the past 6 years, Ngon has always been on our list of «must visit» restaurants when visiting the Twin Cities, unfortunately this last time was hugely disappointing.
The menu has been scaled back so much that it’s almost hard to believe you’re in a Vietnamese-​French bistro… fortunately Phở is still on the menu and still delicious, but it’s just a bowl of noodle soup, it shouldn’t be so inflated.
The server was friendly but aloof and scattered, which was strange since the restaurant had maybe 6 tables occupied while we were there. We thought he just wanted to be elsewhere since it was 7 PM on July 3^rd. Who knows?
One thing is clear: booze and cocktails take priority these days. I get it, owners have much greater margins with booze than food, so the temptation to pivot is fairly obvious, but they risked losing that thing which made them special, their je né sais quoi.
The empty restaurant on a Friday night during a holiday weekend speaks for itself.

We live be this place. The chef does things that are unique and fresh with connections to the traditional roots. Cocktail are made with an artful touch. Make it a stop for happy hour or diner.

The food is good but the service was horrible and the staff was beyond rude. We had a graduation lunch today and were the only people in the restaurant. We asked to be moved because it was very cold by the door.
Additionally, the waitress decided to put an automatic 20% tip of the bill for a party of 5. It was clear that they knew they were being rude and didn’t want to lose the money.
I would come back for the food but the service ruined the complete experience. It was supposed to be a joyous occasion.

I enjoyed the food quite a lot, but was astonished at my experience otherwise. We were a six person table. We ordered appetizers, drinks, entrees — and were very happy. Not troublesome, and certainly making the restaurant some money.
This pleasant evening all changed, however, when I sent back a drink. The general manager came over to ask what was wrong with it. I explained that I believed the proportions were off (it’s my favorite drink, I have it often, and had just had one in a bar downtown that was wonderfully made). He became very aggressive and said it was a «perfect» drink. «I assure you,» he said repeatedly,” this drink is perfect.” I told him that we’d have to agree to disagree, and he said, «whatever,» and stalked off. Although I held my ground during our confrontation (not an expected one, I assure you!), I am sorry to say that I cried afterwards and had to leave the table — he was that nasty. One of my tablemates went and had a word with him, but of course no apology for this behavior was forthcoming.
It’s hard to imagine him acting this way toward a man, so I suspect there’s some sexism at work here as well.

Have stashed this spot in my back pocket for a spur-​of-​the-​moment, casual date night that isn’t going to break the bank. It’s a small Vietnamese restaurant with an upscale feel and a nice bar.
This place is all about the Phở. I love Phở. But the two times I’ve come here, I have ordered the Com Tam. I do not know why. Someday I will get the Phở. I think.
The Com Tam is quite good — and I very much appreciate the menu. It’s well thought out with a limited selection, rather than being stuffed full of every Vietnamese dish you can think of. The one thing I’d love to see added would be Bahn Mi, but I can appreciate them sticking to what they’re good at.
The restaurant feels intimate, with a good amount space between tables and candles at each one. They also have a very unique bar with wooden casks full of oils, an old school record player and a rolling ladder for the bar tender to get up and down the shelves.
This place hasn’t blown me away, but it’s a safe bet for decent food and a good date.

I like how this restaurant makes traditional food new and fresh. They have great mixed drinks, a great atmosphere. The prices are a bit higher then other places but worth it for fresh, organic and local ingredients.
There phở is great. I loved the rabbit dumplings.

The food is decent, but for me the place across the street was way better.
My bahn mi was primarily about the french fries — which were good — but what I wanted was a tasty bahn mi. And the egg rolls, which I thought might be a nice change, were kinda boring. They were overstuffed and fell apart fast.
That said, if you’re new to Vietnamese food, and place a high value on a restaurants ambience and appearance, this might be a good choice. Most of the good Asian places I tried while visiting the Twin Cities were pretty dumpy (but the food was great).
For a date this might be a safer choice compared to the usual sticky floor and fast service places I found around here.