Mekong Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant
“The rice dishes like beef and tomatoes over rice and cubed beef over rice are also good.”
“My favorites here are the grilled pork chops over rice and the Big Beef Pho Noodle Bowl soup.”
“Compared to the pho at pho bang in flushing, the pho at Mekong is a bigger bowl for a better price.”
Mekong Thai & Vietnamese Restaurant
Take-out: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
8 reviews
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CASH ONLY!
I honestly have a love-hate relationship with this place. Why the hate? I ate here once a few years back and got pretty sick. I was also pushed by a rude staff member. He was definitely not there the last time I gave them another they though. Everyone else is pretty nice (as nice as they can be). Why the love? Convenience and I don't have to drive to Main St. The pho isn't bad and it's better than Pho 32..
The pho here comes out pretty fast but if you order the pad thai or vermicelli bowls, it will take a bit. If you order any of the meat dishes that comes over the rice, it may be a bit salty (way to salty for us anyway). The vermicelli bowl is refreshing on a warm day. We were pretty surprised on how the pad thai came out – it was pretty delicious! The only appetizers that I really liked from here is the crispy spring rolls.
As for the parking, if you're coming during the hours when everyone is shopping or looking to eat dinner (let's say around 6 or 7), you might end up looking forever for parking in the lot. This lot is shared with other various stores, restaurants and H-Mart. Watch out for a combination of aggressive drivers and newbie drivers! Don't worry though… You will eventually find parking.. Good luck!
Cubed beef was pretty good. Pretty sure it was the best I've had in Queens. The Thai iced tea was pretty diluted, however. I wouldn't recommend it.
Came here with friends for lunch after classes! Ehh it was alright, typical Viet restaurant with a bit of Thai as well. The place is a lot bigger than I had expected and everything seemed very clean. People say service here is horrible but I guess we came on a good day since I found it to be standard. We all got the Beef cubes over rice/fried rice and for the price, I think it's definitely worth it. The portions are large but taste-wise, it was only average. I found it just a bit too salty and I think the marinade tastes better with the ones they make at the Chinatown Viet places. Fried rice was good and tastes even better when you add the complimentary fish sauce to it. Overall, I would say the food here is decently priced for the portion size that you get but the taste is, at best, average.
Alright, so these 4 stars ONLY go to the food. Not the service (which is like a 1.5/5.)
—About the pho—-
This place is not Vietnamese owned, it's predominately Chinese staff and it's a mirror image to the pho on prince street in flushing. This place is accommodating for large parties because it has two sides of the restaurant. I often compare mekong to the pho bang in flushing but as an avid pho-enthusiast and all around noodle soup lover, the broth is one of my favorite. It's slightly sweeter than regular pho dishes which is by no means a bad thing; it actually makes it alot more unique and I highly recommend it.
—About everything else—-
BEEF CUBES. Freaking delicious, man. You won't regret it. I personally think the food is spot on and haven't disliked any of the dishes thus far.
—About the service—-
Really needs some work; it's a hit or miss.
For me this is the best pho broth around that is consistent. I can taste all the different herbs and flavors and the fresh ingredients just brings them out. I'm not a huge beef fan so I normally get the pork chop noodle soup but it has the same broth as the beef one. Delicious. Summer rolls are a hit or miss here but the spring rolls are always delicious. It is located in a small shopping plaza with a parking lot but this area of queens gets super crowded and sometimes you have to park towards the entrance and walk towards the back where the restaurant is located. Cash only.
In an area filled with Korean food, Mekong stands out as the only Viet/Thai restaurant between Bayside and downtown Flushing. The establishment has been in the plaza on Northern & Roosevelt and withstood all of the changes that happened in the past decade, and for good reason: their pho is pretty good. The broth is delicious, and the portion of beef and noodles is perfect. Their cha gio (spring rolls) is also decent, and I love the fish sauce. Also, being able to park in the parking lot is a huge plus.
One of the only reasons I give this place just an A-OK is they don't have all of the Vietnamese offerings I'm used to seeing. If I wanted more authentic Viet selections like banh coun (rice roll crepe), banh hoi (angelhair rice noodles), or banh beo (rice cakes), I'd still have to venture into downtown Flushing for my fix because Mekong doesn't offer them. Also, I'm used to the wait staff in other Viet restaurants actually speaking Viet. The staff here looked clueless when I used what little Viet vocabulary I knew to order food. You're actually better off speaking English to them. I probably shouldn't blame them though; after all, they are a Viet/Thai fusion restaurant. I haven't had a chance to try the Thai here yet; perhaps I will update when I do.
Love their food. Only complaint is I wish the soup was hotter (like boiling hot). Their star was friendly and nice. Almost everything I've tried on the menu was delicious. We come often and never seem to have an issue. Food is served quick which is always nice.
I come here because this is one of the cleaner Pho restaurants in the area, and there is a parking lot. Food here is good and service is quick. I have no major complaints.