Sao Mai

Very efficient and sweet staff - my party of 3 was seated very promptly at 6:30PM on a Thursday and our waitress was so kind and cute. No wait even with the restaurant being pretty packed. We all got the pho and it was really good - it didn't feel too heavy or salty, super tasty. There was a ton of the eye of round, and I didn't enjoy the meatballs but the tripe and brisket were excellent. I wish I could have traded the meatballs for more tripe. We also got the pork spring rolls and the shrimp summer rolls. Not bad at all, and they gave us extra sauce. I'd definitely come again, it's more spacious than Non La and VNam Cafe which is nice for bigger parties.

Came here for dinner and it did not disappoint. We were seated rather quickly even though it was pretty busy. The staff were super nice. We both kept it simple and ordered the Pho Sao Mai. The broth was very flavorful and rich. This is literally my go to pho at every Vietnamese spot i've visited and this was pretty good!

My husband and I went to Sao Mai before a concert on Saturday and had a wonderful dinner. Sao Mai is a casual spot that does not take reservations. We got there around 6 and had no trouble getting a table, but by the time we left folks were having to wait 10-20 minutes. We started off with the tofu summer rolls. They came out quickly and were really good. The lemongrass that was used was delicious and added a brightness when paired with the hoisin-based dipping sauce. For my main, I had the pan fried crispy noodles with tofu and my husband had the pho. Both dishes were incredibly generous portions. Mine was fantastic -- the crispy noodles were mostly out of the broth, meaning you could decide when to soak them in the broth. This allowed for the perfect bite .There were a ton of veggies in the dish and nearly an entire block of tofu. Everything was seasoned really well and had great flavor. My husband loved his pho and said it was some of the best broth he's had. The service was efficient and friendly and our bill was only $49! Definitely a great spot and will plan to return when we are in the area.

Really solid spot for pho. Everything from the broth, to the meat, to the staff was lovely. You know it's going to be good when you see a table full of older Asian grandmas eating together :') I got the pho tai, and the meat was sooo tender. It was absolutely delicious. The broth was hearty and had a great flavor.

Tasty Vietnamese joint in East Village. Seating is somewhat limited so there can be a bit of a wait. Pho was tasty as well as the bun Bo hue. Prices are reasonable - I would recommend if you're around the area!

Food (4 stars): Banh xeo is really crispy and delicious. Bun Bo hue is good but has a stronger lemongrass flavor to it. Service: we walked in at 1pm on a Saturday and was seated with a 5 min wait. Definitely would come back again!

I've been wanting to try bun bo hue and was curious to try it here. I expected it to taste similar to pho, but it tasted so different, in the best way possible. It wasn't spicy and was loaded with meat so it was very filling. I'm very happy I tried the bun bo hue and will definitely be back.

I love this place for its delicious food and simple decor. Vietnamese food is always fresh but it's hard enough to find a cost-effective option especially in Manhattan. This restaurant is family run and works hard to purchase only the freshest ingredients, including tofu from a specialty Korean supermarket. Staff are unassuming and plenty of the standard Vietnamese staple items are present on the menu, including the authentic, spicy Pho noodle soup. A+ experience overall.

I love Sao Mai! It's a tiny restaurant but it's cute! The service is quick and super kind and attentive. I've only had their shrimp vermicelli bowl but it's so delicious and refreshing. The shrimp are huge and so flavorful, and the sauce that comes with it is delicious. My friend also enjoyed the veggie vermicelli bowl. We talk about how much we enjoyed it constantly!

I got both the fried spring rolls and banh mi. The spring rolls were decent, I mostly loved the dipping sauce they were served with. The banh mi had a generous amount of meat and all the toppings were delicious. The only thing I'd change about the sandwich is the bread. I wished the baguette was a bit more toasted and airy. But I'm just being extra picky since I recently came back from Vietnam where I ate a lot of delicious banh mis.The service was average. They were quick to take my order but then the food took a bit longer than expected to come out and I had to wait a bit for someone to come bring me my bill. I came for lunch on a weekend and was seated immediately.