Renton Bistro

Renton Bistro is a Vietnamese eatery located in downtown Renton with its own parking lot off 3rd Street. Atmosphere (3 out of 5): The interior was quite cozy with a house-feel. The tables were quite close to each other but not past the line of being uncomfortable.Service (2.5 out of 5): The service was quite attentive, with multiple servers checking in and filling waters. Ordering was straightforward and I appreciated that they double-checked the ordered items both on order and on check receipt.Unfortunately, the original chopsticks they gave us were dirty, with a sprig of spring onion on the chopstick, and then the bowls they gave us for the soup had sauce on it and were damp. The servers did seem relatively busy so they likely didn't notice, but it doesn't give much confidence in the overall cleanliness and attention to detail.Food (3.5 out of 5): Overall, solid taste and flavor but not out-of-this-world. We ordered a Bun Bo Hue noodle soup, combo platter, and tamarind fried cod. The combo platter was easily the best part, with a mix of tasty meats, rice noodles, vegetables, and various garnishes. The Bun Bo Hue had good flavor, and the tamarind fried cod was IMO a little too sweet and over-fried (dry) but was still reasonable.Value (3.5 out of 5): Relatively average overall, perhaps slightly above average given portion sizes, but nothing notable.Also, for those not from the area, when exiting the parking lot, note that 3rd Street is a one-way street and you can only turn left (even though there are no one-way signs...)

A sign on the front door says they are short-staffed. We visited on a Friday evening, and waited for 15-20 minutes before we were seated. Majority of customers were lots families with small kids. Inside was a bit old, and isn't very big. Food was surprisingly good. We ordered Bun Mam (fermented fish soup with pork belly, catfish, and squid), broken rice with grilled pork chop, and fish sauce wings. We were told the wings will take 35 minutes to come out, and it did arrive almost at the end of our meal. I would skip the wings, but the noodle and broken rice are both delicious.

This Vietnamese spot remains my all-time favorite! Even after years, the quality hasn't changed if anything it's gotten even better. With new staff, the service has become faster and more efficient. My go-to order--Five Spiced Chicken Noodle Soup with egg noodles and Grilled Pork Chop--never disappoints, and the Vietnamese Tamarind soup with Catfish is a newfound love. While prices have risen, the delectable food is absolutely worth it.

One of the most unique restaurants I've been to. With a little instruction we learned to make our own spring rolls. The spring rolls I made were more like tacos but the fixings were delicious nonetheless. We also ordered a claypot with pork on the bone. Everything was delicious.

I've heard great things about Renton Bistro but because I'm Vietnamese and can cook I rarely go out for Vietnamese food. Anywho, came here after my friend got off work. We were seated quickly and service was pretty good. Interior is very clean and pretty spacious. I cant imagine this place when it's busy as the table set up is kind of weird and close to one another haha. We order goi cuon nem nuong (spring roll with pork) my friend order hu tieu and I got bun rieu. Broth here was pretty good, I was expecting things to be slightly sweet but was very surprised when it wasn't. My serving of bun rieu was very large, and full of tomatoes and yumminess. I did wish it was a bit spicier as the chili oil they gave me and fresh chilis did nothing for my bowl haha. I also ordered a Vietnamese coffeee and it was great, so strong and not overly sweet. Perrrfect! Anyways it was a good experience here and I got to see my friend. I'll probably come here if I'm ever in the area and craving Vietnamese food!

I've heard so many good reviews from everyone in Renton, and after living here for so long I can't believe I've never been here, because it really is that good!! The Vietnamese coffee alone was one of the best Vietnamese coffees I've ever had. The service was kind and quicker than I thought it would be for when they were busy. The parking is not that great, but it makes sense for the area. I like the ambience, too very homey and comforting. I definitely will be back!

Still one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurant!Authentic and flavorful food! Some of what their menu offers are not at other local Vietnamese restaurants so it makes it special to order. Renton Bistro has an ambiance that is a little bit more "upscale" than your average pho place.Each dish is packed with a punch and is a decent size. So why isn't this a 5 star review? Renton Bistro, for as long as I have been going has been understaffed, making wait times to be long and it can also take quite awhile for your food to arrive.I defo make the time to come if I have the patience and if I'm not top hungry.

Food was excellent !! Loved their Pho Tai broth. It tastes very "pure" without too much spices tastes like other Pho places.The pork plate was fun to DIY and it tasted good too!!No wonder it always gets lots of people waiting in line.

Thai tamarind hot and sour soup- canh chua thai: 4/5 this catfish soup was so full of flavors and delicious! I've never ordered this soup before so I have nothing to compare it to but I thoroughly enjoyed it!Combo bun- bun dac biet- 5/5 this was also amazing. Everything was juicy, fresh. I don't normally order egg rolls because I never know if it'll taste dry or tasteless... but these egg rolls were surprisingly super tasty!

I have been to Renton Bistro several times after my first visit and I am hooked!One of my favorite dishes is the Meatball Platter. They bring you rice paper wrappers worh hot water with meatballs, fresh veggies, vermicelli noodles and thinly rolled up fried wonton skins. I love biting into a roll and getting the nice crunch form the fried wonton wrapper. The veggies are so fresh and balanced out the meat and the fried wonton. The other dish we ordered was grilled eggplant which was good but probably wouldn't order again and a chicken thigh noodle soup. On a second visit, my husband ordered the Thai tamarind hot and spicy noodle soup with shrimp. It is very flavorful and spicy. The Vietnamese crepe is fantastic. They will bring you lettuce leaves and your wrap the crispy crepe in the lettuce like a spring roll. It was very tasty. Be prepared to wait or go off-peak hours. The restaurant is quite small and not fancy. They have their own parking lot but there is also off-street parking nearby. Service is a bit on the slow side as is the cooking so be aware that your meal will take longer than what you expect. I am not Vietnamese but seems like this place is quite authentic and I'm looking forward to going back again to try other dishes.