Saigon Restaurant

The food was good (beef taco was INCREDIBLE), service was very friendly but also quite slow. They were sold out of pork belly which seems to be their most popular item so I did not get a chance to try it.Vegetarian spring rolls - (3.2/5)Crispy but bland tasting and not worth trying. (Forgot to take a picture)Saigon TacosBeef - (4.8/5)Absolutely incredible BBQ beef flavor with great toppings.Shrimp - (3.7/5)Shrimp was tender and cooked well but overall the taco was not as vibrantly flavored as the beef tacos and was also more expensive.Saigon sliders - (4.1/5)Fresh soft bun, simple pork patty with a good tasting sauce and crispy toppings for texture.

Food: We ordered the pork belly on the appetizer menu, phõ and a chicken (?) rice plate.Was pleasantly surprised with the pork belly dish which came with rice. Tasted better than both main dishes and definitely recommend ordering it.The one phõ was okay, so was the rice plate.The ice cube in my drink was really big, but it was still refreshing and tastyI think they’re probably better for light bites and not the mains they have on there, you can tell because the selection is small.

One of the most amazing experiences you could ask for.The quality of food and service is beyond exceptional. This is fine dining food with great prices.If you are downtown Ottawa definitely a spot you want to check out.Jason the owner is down to earth and goes above and beyond.

Served warm water but immediately was given big cup of ice when asked. There were no line up during dinner hour which was nice since we were seated immediately. The food came out one at a time, with 15-20 minutes in between eat dish which made it awkward for people eating as one person would finish eating their meal before the others even started to eat. We ended up just sharing everything instead so that no one felt left out. I feel like they are catering too much to the Western population by not adding traditional aromatics and spices, they kind of missed the authentic Vietnamese flavours and spices in my opinion.They’re not prepared for big groups, they put so much effort in the presentation that performance is hindered once a big group orders. The table beside us got a drink for free since the wait was so long; that was incredibly nice of restaurant to do that. It was obvious that tables around us were getting restless though from the repetitive apologies and long waits.For the tartar, the shrimp cracker was under fried and the beef didn’t taste the freshest as it had a sour aftertaste. The seasoning was nice though, was a very subtle seasoning.The papaya salad did not have enough papaya but mainly being pickled carrots and mango. The pickling was not traditional flavouring, but more a strong vinegar taste. The Shrimp was nicely flavoured and cooked, really sweet and savoury. Biggest complaint was that there were no traditional spices such as shallots, peppers, and cilantro. They added mint instead of basil which was disappointing.The chicken wings took a total of 45 minutes to come out and I think it’s because they left it in the fryer and forgot about it. It was difficult to chew and swallow because of how dry and over cooked it was. Both sauces were incredibly delicious though, and I would buy this in bulk if it was cooked correctly.The taco pork belly was awesome and the veggies were a perfect match for the salty/savoury meat. The beef taco had similar flavour but cooked a lot more poorly, it was dry and the burnt end of the beef was difficult to chew.We all agreed that the braised pork belly on rice was the best. It actually tasted authentic but it was not braised though, more just cooked and reduced in its own sauce on high heat. Would come back just for this dish though.A big thanks to our wonderful waitresses, Breanna and Alyssa, they made it such a great experience and were incredibly helpful.

The saigon sliders were so flavourful and tender and the fries were the perfect crispiness. The fries came with two dips and one of them was the best dip I ever had. They have a mocktail menu and I really enjoyed the lychee one. Overall really enjoyed my experience.

Very nice atmosphere and good service. The food was too salty for my liking but I enjoyed that the portions were reasonable and it was fresh. A good option for vietnamese in the Market.

Used to be my favorite place. The food quality dropped since our last visit.The beef was chewy, hard. Used to melt im your mouth and the sauce was incredible..... Not the same.But the big let down was the tartare. Weird texture, color and taste. Looks like cat food!Sorry but just not like it used to be.

Old review... see update below:My new favorite Taco place. If your in the market give it a try. Good food, good drinks and awesome service!Update June 24 2023: This place used to be 5 stars, but now the quality of the food and service just isn't there... Taco sub par and chewy and pork belly not like it used to be...

Loved the spot! Went with a few other friends and had a blast! The food is good and freshly prepared. The service is good as well, but the bar tending is why we went. Their drinks are some of the best around. They have all your classics, but please have some of their signature drinks. You won't regret it!

I will come again. Our experience was great! Thanks!!