The Lemongrass Restaurant Review on First Hill, Seattle (across from Seattle University)

Beef Noodle Soup aka Pho

I came upon  The Lemongrass by accident as my colleagues and mine’s first choice was this Italian Restaurant across the street from the CASA training building that we found out was closed during day hours and only opened at 5pm. It was our lunch hour at the time so we settled for this nearby Vietnamese restaurant. We were in luck because although the place was very busy, we were able to get a table right away. The exterior of this place has no justice on what you’re in for.  You take notice of the the air, which was filled with exotic smells of spices and aromatic herbs as soon as you walk in.

Curb Appeal: The place was decorated with its Asian-Vietnamese theme, with lots of bamboo and floral/plantal designs. There was also a large wall-sized waterfall type of décor on the side of the entrance. The seating was a bit tight as the interior was small, but this was common for Vietnamese restaurants. Seating by the door was too breezy with the wind blowing in from people walking in and out, so I’d avoid that area if you tend to get cold.

Customer Service: We came during lunch time, so it was very busy. The service here was average. I was upset that they didn't serve my Pho of choice, which is White Meat Chicken Pho. Our server said they only had the dark meat kind, yuck. I settled for the Beef Pho. My colleagues ordered Grilled Pork Sandwhich, Grilled Chicken Sandwhich, Fresh Spring Rolls, and a special order of Chili Paste Tofu with Chicken, but she had to order Rice separately (surprisingly rice is not included?).

The server got the sandwhiches mixed up, saying one was chicken when really it was pork. Wouldn't that have been a shame if she was a Muslim or Jewish. Luckily, our group is pretty happy-go-lucky people, we didn't make a fuss about it. I give them points for the chocolate mint for my basil breathe and getting us separate checks with no fuss and in no time.


Fresh Spring Rolls with a side of Peanut Sauce.
Photo Credit by Marissa S. on Yelp.com

Food Quality: The Pho was ok, there was nothing special about their broth. I was pleased they weren't chintzy with the add-ons (lime, basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, and jalapeno peppers). My colleagues complained that there wasn't enough meat in the sandwhiches nor in the special Tofu order, so I'm thinking if they had a do over they'd order a heartier meat dish. I thought my Pho had plenty of meat though, but if I had a do over, I'd try one of their Vermicelli bowls or Vegetarian dishes. The Tofu there looked yummy! All in all, with these prices, it beats going to a fast food restaurant, and it's much healthier for you.

Price: Affordable!! Most all the entrees are under $10. A great place for lunch with colleagues.

Specials/Happy Hour: They're specials vary weekly, this week they had Vietnamese Sandwhiches for only $5. You can check on their website what their current specials are.

Website: http://originallemongrass.com/Lemongrass/Home.html

Hours of Operation:
Sunday-Thursday 10am-9pm
Friday-Saturday 10am-10pm

Address:
514 12th Ave
Seattle, Wa 98122-5509


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Phone: (206) 860-8164

Read Other's Reviews:

From UrbanSpoon
From Yelp
From TripAdvisor

They also have two other locations, one in Seattle's International District and one in the Renton Village near Uwajimaya.