I am heart broken that this place is closing down in this area. My best friend and I have been coming to this place to eat dinner for a few years now and it’s our favorite get together place. I will miss the wonderful atmosphere and vibe it always had there. The food was always spot on and delicious and we were always well served. We will be attending to the new location, I hope it’s similar to this one! It will greatly be missed. Thank you for your service!
bikingmom
We were driving from Denver to Des Moines and did not want fast food for dinner. This lovely little restaurant in downtown Omaha was quick, clean and delicious. Not too much out of way. The staff was very nice and it was a lovely meal. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for Vietnamese.
Anastasiia Iun
I think it's a cute place. However it is also quite a cold place. It's clean and neat. I wish it was warmer there.The food is not bad. My phone broth was good actually.
Seth Blackwell
Nice place. Good service. Food was good with great layers of flavor. Only issue I take was the lack of spice and heat to normally spicy garlicky dishes but that's probably a plus for others. I'd recommend the place.
Charlotte D.
Extremely disappointed. This is the THIRD time in 3 weeks that we have tried to fulfill my Husbands craving for Pho. We arrived today, Wednesday; December 28th at 2:24pm only to be informed that they had already CLOSED the kitchen but would reopen in 2.5hours. The sign on the door clearly states that due to understaffing they would be closing at 3pm NOT 2:24pm. We drove there specifically to eat from Council Bluffs, not a far drive but not around the corner either. DISGRACEFUL!!!! Previously, We tried to call in an order for pickup on Friday, December 16th at 5:30pm. We tried calling SIXTEEN TIMES!!!!! NO ANSWER except the Fax squeal. Extremely Disheartening. We tried again on December 23rd to place a pick up order only to have the same result. My husband has lost faith & trust in his favorite PHO restaurant. He's from the Bay Area in California and this is the ONLY PHO he'll eat besides my homemade. This is shameful!!!!
Kevin A.
Working in downtown in the cold it's great to get out to a quick lunch with excellent service and good food. Recommend for any business person looking for a good meal with clients.
Kortney Johnson
I love their 5 spice chicken wings! So much flavor and reminds me of the wings from my small town Chinese place (a good thing).Love the oxtail pho, typically I get mine without the beef meatballs.Love the flan!Personally didn’t like the calamari.My partner gets the Saigon egg rolls and the yellow curry chicken!We only have ever gotten delivery so I can’t speak to the vibe of the place.
Josiah A
Phenomenal food. This has become my favorite spot to eat in Omaha. Wonderful menu and skillfully prepared. The food is so well balanced and has such amazing flavor. Service can be a bit hit and miss but honestly the food is so good I'd wait twice as long to eat it and still be happy ?Update as of 12/8/22: the food was perfect AGAIN and the service was AMAZING! WITH Worth every penny!
Patty W.
Great food. When dining in, service is good. When calling for to go especially at lunch, it's sometimes a frustrating experience. Good sandwiches and vermicelli bowls. Oxtail pho hits the spot on cold days. And the egg rolls and spring rolls are delicious.
Jennifer B.
For an appetizer we got the spring rolls. They can it soo fast! I wish they would have had more mint in them and the sauce be a little more peanut-y but I was still happy! They were nicely rolled and fun to eat. We also got the fish clay pot and the beef one that's been cooked for hours. I really enjoy the fish clay pot! I think it's a tad bit too salty but if you eat it with a little more rice it's fine. The beef was tender and really nice.
We had the eggrolls for an appetizer (ate them all before I could snap a picture!) then had the pineapple fried rice - a must have if it's your first time here! I plan on getting a meal made in the clay pots or the pho the next time I stop by!
Dirk Konopik
I ate here for the first time yesterday somewhat late into the evening (8:00 PM+) and had noticed the restaurant while walking to a club after parking in a new location for me (daily $10 open-lot parking right behind Berry Law downtown).I walked in, grabbed a menu, and seated myself. Initial thoughts were that the restaurant had a very upscale, but low-key, style that was welcoming. Nice ambiance at that time of night. I stopped in by myself, but it could easily become a nice-date go-to in the future. Quiet enough and, though not the largest seating plan, the design choice does afford you with the public seclusion to still maintain that needed one-on-one intimacy while out with a romantic interest, but the opportunity to people watch as well without coming across as weird.Anyway, back to the food. So, there was one server pretty much holding down the fort; and, from what he told me, had been doing so for the last six out of seven days. That's pretty hardcore. Therefore, seeing the restaurant was short-handed, but still able to reasonably cover tables and provide excellent service, I politely interjected myself into the conversation at the bar where a small group of friends had huddled up trying to figure out what they wanted to order; hoping to get my order in when the opportunity presented itself.They offered me their favorite food suggestions and allowed me to put my order in with the server before them. Nice group. I ended up ordering a Caramelized Curry Tilapia Clay Pot that consisted of coconut milk, green onion, potatoes, and roasted peanuts, as well as, at first, a Jack & Coke, but, since Jack wasn't on hand, his friend Maker's Mark provided a more than adequate substitute.The food arrived about 15 minutes later. Wasn't too worried about waiting since I had my drink and, as mentioned before, the Saigon Surface had great ambiance. It was hot, appearance was spot on, and the portion size was appropriate to leave you comfortably full; To note: I say that as a gentleman of 245 lbs standing, roughly, at about 6'2"... Though, I think I may be shrinking in stature the older I get. :)While perfectly cooked in my opinion, the very Skilled Saigon Surface Staff (Try saying that five times super fast) was also aware that not every palate is the same; thus they maintained a somewhat neutral canvas related to spice, heat, and salt, while holding fast to the core of the dish. So, while flavorful with definite depth, I personally chose to doctor the entree up with the available Hoisin and Sriracha sauces, as well as request salt and pepper because that was not already set out on any of the tables. Though... a bottle of hand sanitizer was.This, while of course practical for flu season and all, kind of threw off the dining vibe for me a bit. Not super appetizing thinking of your food right next to a bottle of used hand sanitizer. So, I just removed it for the meal and set it on the opposite seat out of site; returning it to it's initial table placement at the end of the meal.The final result, however, was an extremely tasty/hearty meal that totally hit all of the desired flavor profiles and umami (using that word right?) that anyone would want to eat, while braving a cold Omaha night out on the town. Thanks so much!Parking: Unless you get lucky finding street parking, a safe parking bet would be the paid open lot ($10 for a 24 hour period, place ticket on dash type) directly behind Berry Law (and their massively large landmark sign). The Saigon Surface is a quick one-block walk down a well lit alley from there.
Robert P.
A highlight in Downtown Omaha. Great soups, spring rolls, wings, pork. Ate there twice on this trip.
Mary B.
I ordered not just pho but the prawn salad, calamari, crab rangoons, and chicken drumsticks for $85. The only thing that was edible was the rangoons but marginally. Everthing tasted like it was cooked in old oil. The shrimp wasn't fresh and was rubbery not to mention very charred. The pho came with literally 2 sprigs of cilantro and basil and a minuscule portion of beans. The broth also tasted off. I paid extra for more housin sauce and only received 2 small packets in total. This used to be an okay place to go but it is absolutely terrible now and a complete rip-off. I never do reviews but this had me baffled and frustrated that I had to speak out.
Michael B.
They do not answer the phone. They take online orders on days (10/23/21) they say they are open but was not. Extra time for me to contact Grubhub to wait on hold and cancel the order. Good food does not trump bad service.
I am heart broken that this place is closing down in this area. My best friend and I have been coming to this place to eat dinner for a few years now and it’s our favorite get together place. I will miss the wonderful atmosphere and vibe it always had there. The food was always spot on and delicious and we were always well served. We will be attending to the new location, I hope it’s similar to this one! It will greatly be missed. Thank you for your service!
We were driving from Denver to Des Moines and did not want fast food for dinner. This lovely little restaurant in downtown Omaha was quick, clean and delicious. Not too much out of way. The staff was very nice and it was a lovely meal. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for Vietnamese.
I think it's a cute place. However it is also quite a cold place. It's clean and neat. I wish it was warmer there.The food is not bad. My phone broth was good actually.
Nice place. Good service. Food was good with great layers of flavor. Only issue I take was the lack of spice and heat to normally spicy garlicky dishes but that's probably a plus for others. I'd recommend the place.
Extremely disappointed. This is the THIRD time in 3 weeks that we have tried to fulfill my Husbands craving for Pho. We arrived today, Wednesday; December 28th at 2:24pm only to be informed that they had already CLOSED the kitchen but would reopen in 2.5hours. The sign on the door clearly states that due to understaffing they would be closing at 3pm NOT 2:24pm. We drove there specifically to eat from Council Bluffs, not a far drive but not around the corner either. DISGRACEFUL!!!! Previously, We tried to call in an order for pickup on Friday, December 16th at 5:30pm. We tried calling SIXTEEN TIMES!!!!! NO ANSWER except the Fax squeal. Extremely Disheartening. We tried again on December 23rd to place a pick up order only to have the same result. My husband has lost faith & trust in his favorite PHO restaurant. He's from the Bay Area in California and this is the ONLY PHO he'll eat besides my homemade. This is shameful!!!!
Working in downtown in the cold it's great to get out to a quick lunch with excellent service and good food. Recommend for any business person looking for a good meal with clients.
I love their 5 spice chicken wings! So much flavor and reminds me of the wings from my small town Chinese place (a good thing).Love the oxtail pho, typically I get mine without the beef meatballs.Love the flan!Personally didn’t like the calamari.My partner gets the Saigon egg rolls and the yellow curry chicken!We only have ever gotten delivery so I can’t speak to the vibe of the place.
Phenomenal food. This has become my favorite spot to eat in Omaha. Wonderful menu and skillfully prepared. The food is so well balanced and has such amazing flavor. Service can be a bit hit and miss but honestly the food is so good I'd wait twice as long to eat it and still be happy ?Update as of 12/8/22: the food was perfect AGAIN and the service was AMAZING! WITH Worth every penny!
Great food. When dining in, service is good. When calling for to go especially at lunch, it's sometimes a frustrating experience. Good sandwiches and vermicelli bowls. Oxtail pho hits the spot on cold days. And the egg rolls and spring rolls are delicious.
For an appetizer we got the spring rolls. They can it soo fast! I wish they would have had more mint in them and the sauce be a little more peanut-y but I was still happy! They were nicely rolled and fun to eat. We also got the fish clay pot and the beef one that's been cooked for hours. I really enjoy the fish clay pot! I think it's a tad bit too salty but if you eat it with a little more rice it's fine. The beef was tender and really nice.
Restaurantji Recommends
We had the eggrolls for an appetizer (ate them all before I could snap a picture!) then had the pineapple fried rice - a must have if it's your first time here! I plan on getting a meal made in the clay pots or the pho the next time I stop by!
I ate here for the first time yesterday somewhat late into the evening (8:00 PM+) and had noticed the restaurant while walking to a club after parking in a new location for me (daily $10 open-lot parking right behind Berry Law downtown).I walked in, grabbed a menu, and seated myself. Initial thoughts were that the restaurant had a very upscale, but low-key, style that was welcoming. Nice ambiance at that time of night. I stopped in by myself, but it could easily become a nice-date go-to in the future. Quiet enough and, though not the largest seating plan, the design choice does afford you with the public seclusion to still maintain that needed one-on-one intimacy while out with a romantic interest, but the opportunity to people watch as well without coming across as weird.Anyway, back to the food. So, there was one server pretty much holding down the fort; and, from what he told me, had been doing so for the last six out of seven days. That's pretty hardcore. Therefore, seeing the restaurant was short-handed, but still able to reasonably cover tables and provide excellent service, I politely interjected myself into the conversation at the bar where a small group of friends had huddled up trying to figure out what they wanted to order; hoping to get my order in when the opportunity presented itself.They offered me their favorite food suggestions and allowed me to put my order in with the server before them. Nice group. I ended up ordering a Caramelized Curry Tilapia Clay Pot that consisted of coconut milk, green onion, potatoes, and roasted peanuts, as well as, at first, a Jack & Coke, but, since Jack wasn't on hand, his friend Maker's Mark provided a more than adequate substitute.The food arrived about 15 minutes later. Wasn't too worried about waiting since I had my drink and, as mentioned before, the Saigon Surface had great ambiance. It was hot, appearance was spot on, and the portion size was appropriate to leave you comfortably full; To note: I say that as a gentleman of 245 lbs standing, roughly, at about 6'2"... Though, I think I may be shrinking in stature the older I get. :)While perfectly cooked in my opinion, the very Skilled Saigon Surface Staff (Try saying that five times super fast) was also aware that not every palate is the same; thus they maintained a somewhat neutral canvas related to spice, heat, and salt, while holding fast to the core of the dish. So, while flavorful with definite depth, I personally chose to doctor the entree up with the available Hoisin and Sriracha sauces, as well as request salt and pepper because that was not already set out on any of the tables. Though... a bottle of hand sanitizer was.This, while of course practical for flu season and all, kind of threw off the dining vibe for me a bit. Not super appetizing thinking of your food right next to a bottle of used hand sanitizer. So, I just removed it for the meal and set it on the opposite seat out of site; returning it to it's initial table placement at the end of the meal.The final result, however, was an extremely tasty/hearty meal that totally hit all of the desired flavor profiles and umami (using that word right?) that anyone would want to eat, while braving a cold Omaha night out on the town. Thanks so much!Parking: Unless you get lucky finding street parking, a safe parking bet would be the paid open lot ($10 for a 24 hour period, place ticket on dash type) directly behind Berry Law (and their massively large landmark sign). The Saigon Surface is a quick one-block walk down a well lit alley from there.
A highlight in Downtown Omaha. Great soups, spring rolls, wings, pork. Ate there twice on this trip.
I ordered not just pho but the prawn salad, calamari, crab rangoons, and chicken drumsticks for $85. The only thing that was edible was the rangoons but marginally. Everthing tasted like it was cooked in old oil. The shrimp wasn't fresh and was rubbery not to mention very charred. The pho came with literally 2 sprigs of cilantro and basil and a minuscule portion of beans. The broth also tasted off. I paid extra for more housin sauce and only received 2 small packets in total. This used to be an okay place to go but it is absolutely terrible now and a complete rip-off. I never do reviews but this had me baffled and frustrated that I had to speak out.
They do not answer the phone. They take online orders on days (10/23/21) they say they are open but was not. Extra time for me to contact Grubhub to wait on hold and cancel the order. Good food does not trump bad service.