rec: bun cha ha noi, oxtail fried rice I would consider this a higher end vietnamese spot based on the prices, visuals, and water refill rate (u take a sip and they run to refill). imo this should be $$$ not $$ the food was on the salty / rich side but had great flavor! I rly liked the bun cha ha noi: it's unique, flavorful (fish sauce based), well balanced in ingredients, and fun (dipping noodles). portions seemed small but were very filling

Hands down my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the city! You really can't beat the quality of the food at Saigon Social. All of the menu items hit, but some of our favorites are the bun cha Ha Noi, beef pho, and banh beo. I also never find myself bored of the menu, with the soups changing frequently and the menu changing seasonally, there's always something new to try. The price tag might be a bit of a shock to some who (like me) grew up with $10 or less pho, but given the quality, the location and ambiance, I think it is well worth it. The service has always been so friendly and attentive. It can get pretty busy and I would recommend securing reservations, but the past few times my partner and I have walked in and snagged bar seats without a wait.

Been wanting to try this place for so long, went on a Monday right when they opened then they got super busy. Happy hour is until 6:30pm and they had a pandan cocktail that was really good. We ordered the garlic noodles, Helen's special pho of the week - bun Bo hue and wanted to try the bun ha cha noi but it never arrived, found out this order wasn't put in. But understandable, it was just the chef and one server running around, they were very understaffed. The garlic noodles & bun bo hue were so delicious & flavorful! Then tried the Jackfruit coco Fresca which I loved, not too sweet & refreshing! Decor was so cute and loved the bathrooms with Star Wars theme. I really loved the items we tried but wish we could have ordered more, it would have been quite a wait if we did.

Saigon Social was personally one of my favorite stops in NYC. I got the garlic noodles with the extra crab, and I was not expecting a full crab! Not only was that a surprise but the taste of everything was amazing! The noodles were garlicy and buttery, the light breading on the grab soaked up flavor, and the whole dish was balanced. I also got the passion project for my drink, and man that thing was strong! I had a good buzz off of one, but it was so good that I got two! The menu is pretty small compared to many other places, but I will take quality over quantity all day. The place is a little small (but it's NYC, what do you expect). Altogether, this place is a must stop!

{Overall: 4; Food: 4} Ambiance: 3.5; Service: 3.5 Saigon Social is a great spot for inventive Vietnamese food. What I love about the menu is their innovative/elevated take on Vietnamese flavors, without being pretentious. One drawback is that now that I've been here twice, I feel like there are dishes that are clear winners, while others that are weak points. My 4 for food reflects the dishes that I enjoyed. The highlights: - Bahn Beo: A must have. 4 bite sized rice cakes are topped with shrimp, pork, some veg and a bunch of sauce and seasonings. Each bite is chock full of flavor - salt, acid, and spice all rolled into one with a myriad of complimentary textures. A great way to start off the meal. - Bun Cha Ha Noi: Everything on this plate was incredibly flavorful. The pork belly was so tender and the crab & pork roll was really crispy. The fish sauce vinegar broth is irresistible. We didn't have a drop left. A couple of weak points: - The pho: The broth is a bit one note and doesn't stand out vs. other pho I've had. - The garlic noodles: While I enjoyed the noodles, the shrimp they were topped with tasted distinctly fishy, which was a put off.