Bantu
4100 Avalon Blvd, Alpharetta, GA, 30009
Bantu Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Alpharetta for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Alpharetta for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
4100 Avalon Blvd
Alpharetta, GA, 30009 - Phone (678) 248-5220
- Website https://www.bantunoodles.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 9:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Trendy
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
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Leang C.
I had high hopes for this place as you don't see many Asian fusion places in higher end plazas such as the Avalon. I went for lunch soon after the Avalon opened as my office is around the block. Definitely experienced better. I ordered a bowl of noodles. The soup was bland, the noodles were overcooked and had no flavor. Overpriced for the portion. Personally not a fan of the food here.
(2)Phil R.
Had the asian hot dog and street corn today. Delicious. Seems like they have improved the menu choices since first opening. They switched to full service also. Definitely going back for more street food choices.
(4)T N.
SAVE YOUR MONEY! Over priced and flavorless. Got up and left food sitting on the table. Food served lukewarm.
(1)Whit G.
By far the worst food in Alpharetta! Their Pad Thai is a joke and the Beef Ramen was inedible!!! This was the first time I have ever walked out of a restaurant to go eat somewhere else because the food was that horrible! I will stick with going to Buford Hwy for my noodle fix!
(1)Katie P.
My husband and I went here one evening while walking around Avalon. Walked in and loved the look of the restaurant and the staff were all super nice. We both ordered the Pad Thai and it took forever to come out of the kitchen. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the wait because the Pad Thai had NO flavor. I ended up mixing in the sauces that were on the table to make it taste like something, which kind of helped. Overall, we were totally disappointed and will not be going back. I'll be surprised if this places stays open especially with all of the other great restaurants around the area.
(1)Esther O.
Worst meal I've ever had. Also, highly overpriced. Not worth the visit. I will never go here again.
(1)Mitch S.
Very convenient location in Avalon, especially with everything else so busy right now. The food is about what you would expect in this location...very average. We had edamame, which tasted like it came out of the microwave. We also had the Pad Thai and Tom Kai Chicken. Both portions were large with decent freshness of ingredients, but just not at all authentic food...very Americanized with muted flavors. I would not go back, but they will stay busy due to location. Also, my son and I had a stomach ache later that night.
(1)Ashley A.
I thought this place was pretty good I have never had anything like it before. I ordered the chicken pad Thai and the portion was huge and the meal was very flavorful. I could only find one thing on the menu that look familiar. I have nothing to compare to this place but thought it was decent.
(2)Kevin R.
It looks like our experience was way better than most of the previous reviews. Yes it's a bit pricey, but the dish I had (Asian BBQ Udon) was big, beautiful, and extremely flavorful. We were there earlier than the big lunch crowd, so the wait wasn't a problem. I'm sure if we had to wait 45 minutes for our food, it would have put a damper on things. Probably not a place you'd want to eat at every week, but definitely a good place to grab a bite while you're at Avalon. We'll be back to try it out again.
(4)Aidan M.
What a fantastic concept. . MY family had a great experience. When you walk in the next generation of culinary delights open your imagination. Not the same main stream food. From the decor to the staff. My Kids had pad thi and pho bowl.. We had an amazing Pork belly sandwich full of tender pork and a Salmon miso salad... I would kill for the dressing.. Great assortment of Imported and local brew. The kids loved the Soda make your own flavor. The plug your phone power supply is great. The rest rooms where spotless. We left for the first time in a long time going to different restaurants having a smile on the Family's face saying that we wanted to try more. Wow.. Great job... I love new stuff.. YOU GOT TO TRY BANTU..
(5)Robert Z.
Visited during their Grand Opening last week.The architecture is really cool and modern looking, clean and crisp with custom wood seats and tables. Had the Thai Beef Banh-mi and Beef Pho noodle soup. The sandwich was awesome, if you never had a Banh-Mi, you have to stop by and try one, the best I had. The Pho was full of noodles and fragrant broth and vegetables. Floating on top was rare/med-rare beef slices. Going back soon, lots of bang for your buck!
(5)Karen R.
I would agree with other reviews - food was bland, no flavor at all. After ordering we waited close to 40 minutes for our food to be delivered. Yes, 40 minutes! For a noodle bowl??? The food did not make up for it, I was so disappointed in how bad it was. My husband had the pad thai and it had no sauce at all, just plain noodles and some veggies. I had the seafood curry that was supposed to be spicy. It has a mild smokey flavor but no spice at all. I was excited about all the broth but it was so bad I picked around the seafood and noodles and left the rest. For $10 to $13 per dish I expected a lot better. Service was pretty poor, but with it being new I can overlook that. But the overly long wait for our food and the poor food quality - we will not go back. I can't think of any positive except it has a nice location. Save your $$ and go elsewhere.
(1)Greg V.
A wonderfully innovative surprise in the middle of a beautiful complex. Forget the ordinary when you enter these doors. A warm and welcoming staff awaits as you enter. Ambience is casual chic. Don't enter looking for normal Buford Highway fare; and if Pad Thai is your only bag, try a little change. Like on a cold night, the Seafood Curry Udon has a taste and aroma that will set you free....ample serving with absolutely the freshest shrimp and salmon, fresh veggies and the redolent fragrance of coriander. The shrimp tempura sandwich was more than filling. Chef Ciaran Duffy is constantly innovating, so expect change....with no sacrifice of quality or freshness of ingredients. Modern interior, unusual hickory smoked salt at tables. Exterior heated with gas lamps. Couples, families, or individual friendly. Try it....you'll like it!!
(5)Yelp R.
Meh...I had really high expectations of this place bc I'm a huge noodle brothy person. I read the previous reviews but decided to go anyway. After tasting the ramen I would have to agree that it is tasteless. I also had to add hot sauce and salt/spices to the food. Broth was too thick and there was too little of it. service was good however....I'll probably try some more dishes just to see but I don't know about this place now...
(2)Erin H.
I was so looking forward to a bowl of ramen, i took a total of 4 bites before leaving it & walking out. The noodles were all soggy, the broth tasted like fish, the egg should have been a soft-boiled egg but instead it was a poached egg. It was honestly inedible. Very disappointed. Dont waste your money.
(1)Rohan P.
Tasteless Americanized versions of Asian fare that can be much better procured on Buford Hwy. Pho with chicken sausage meatballs? Really? I couldn't add flavor to the bland Ramen sauce despite my attempt with generous use of Sriracha. The service was fine. The setting is comfy modern. Price is too much. Won't be coming back.
(2)Edward R.
We have eaten at Bantu a few times since they opened. I have had the Tom Kha Kai Udon and the Asian BBQ Pork Udon. The food arrived hot and is very tasty. The restaurant has a beautiful interior and a great outdoor eating area that wraps around the restaurant. I would highly recommend this restaurant and I cannot wait to go back!
(5)Lucy K.
We loved it, my son included. I thought the flavors in my TOM KHA KAI UDON were outstanding. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff. Everyone was helpful and the service was quick and efficient. We look forward to coming back!
(4)amy k.
The food is excellent. The menu is creative and inventive. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. Love the ambiance too! A big fan. Will be back
(5)Jessica B.
I would agree that they need to spice up the flavoring a bit, but this place is still really good.
(5)Jake S.
Very disappointed with our visit to Bantu tonight. Pad Thai was inedible. Beef Ramen was not much better. Would not go back. Edamame was the best part of the meal. Wish I had read the other Yelp reviews before we visited.
(1)Jonathan S.
Highly recommended! Best noodles I've had in the States. Our server was fantastic. We will be returning next time we're in the Atlanta area for sure! Just delicious!
(5)Oyette R.
We wanted for this place to have good ramen so we didn't have to drive all the way to Buford highway for a ramen fix. Unfortunately, it was not good at all. They didn't have the full menu yet because they just opened. We had pork belly ramen and beef ramen. The broth tasted like water. I had to put about a teaspoon of salt and a whole bunch of sriracha to give it flavor. The pork belly in it was good (it's hard for pork belly not to be good). The beef ramen had steak, which was tasteless and tough. The restaurant itself is clean, and the service was not bad.. but the food is not good. We went home and got $0.99 maruchan ramen. :)
(1)Diane T.
Horrible. Everything is horrible. Water and coke is good that's about it. Pad Thai tastes like it was made from lime juice. Asian bbq pork udon broth has no flavor. Steam bun was pure grease and fat. You've been warned.
(1)Elizabeth H.
High prices, terrible service, SLOW kitchen, mediocre food. I will not be returning any time soon.
(1)Leang C.
I had high hopes for this place as you don't see many Asian fusion places in higher end plazas such as the Avalon. I went for lunch soon after the Avalon opened as my office is around the block. Definitely experienced better. I ordered a bowl of noodles. The soup was bland, the noodles were overcooked and had no flavor. Overpriced for the portion. Personally not a fan of the food here.
(2)Ashley M.
My friends and I ventured here as part of our Progressive Dinner in the Avalon complex. Bantu is an open, modern dining concept serving a variety of small Asian dishes in bench style seating. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by enthusiastic servers and the great service continued throughout our meal. I ordered a couple of items: an appetizer of the crispy Brussels sprouts: hoisin sauce, shallots, and bacon, and a pork belly ramen: crispy pork belly, soft poached egg, sprouts, kimchi, nori. There's some things I liked about both dishes, and some things I didn't like very much. The Brussels sprouts come in very generous portion--almost a full bowl--and the flavor of the hoisin, shallot, and bacon combination worked very well and took out the dreaded healthy taste of the sprouts and made it incredibly enjoyable to eat. I did not like the texture of the Brussels sprouts, which were either boiled and overcooked, or were frozen and not fresh. I would have appreciated this dish much more if the Brussels sprouts were roasted, as is typically done when dining out. As for the ramen, I loved the noodles--the texture was perfect. The pork belly in the ramen was also delicious and not too fatty and the fresh sprouts paired very well to bring out the dish. However, the ramen broth was a bit too salty, although only slightly too salty, making it difficult to eat too much of the broth. Other than that, it exceeded my expectations of what to expect from an Asian fusion restaurant in the Avalon. Overall, I think Bantu has great potential but falls short on perhaps a couple of areas. Keep improving--I will return!
(3)Justin D.
How this place got a low rating before baffles me. I had the tacos, pork bun and street corn. Each dish was bursting with flavor of Asian influences. The sizes are not the biggest, but for the high quality of ingredients, it is a good value. Ambiance is super modern and clean. Very inviting patio too. Staff was friendly and attentive. No problems for the lunch crowd. Decent alcohol list that has numerous sake options. Great unique food and a welcome addition to white bread Alpharetta.
(5)Jani B.
I would give 3.5 stars if I could. I think that to earn at least a 4-star rating their menu would need to more consistently wow me. So the good: Their "Berk" sandwich is outta-this-effing-world!! PERFECT blend of meat, herbs and spices and toppings. That is one hell of a 5-star sandwich. The Pho is tasty and the Japanese fries are delicious as well. The meh: The BBQ pork sandwich is uninspired and more than a bit embarrassing when held up next to the Berk. It's kinda like the chef shrugged their shoulders on this one and said: "It's good enough. No one will care." The service is friendly, prompt and helpful. I've had nothing but good interactions with them. Oh and also - when you order to-go they give you these cute little plastic fish filled with soy sauce. No idea why I find this so cool, but I do. I mean, it's not like I've saved them and have them sitting in a bowl on my kitchen table or anything...
(3)Kristie D.
I was intrigued by Bantu. We were at Avalon looking for dinner one evening and as we walked by a couple was walking out the door. We stopped and asked them how they liked the place and they only had bad things to say about the food and service so we decided to go elsewhere that evening. Fast forward to a few days ago and my BF decides he must have Bantu for lunch. We walked in to this surprisingly small restaurant with cafeteria style seating (of which I am NOT a fan). There was no one at the host stand so we did have to hang out there for a minute or two for someone to show and "seat" us which seemed really silly since its a tiny place and there were only 2 other people there. I subtracted a star because of the Coke Freestyle machine, just as I do for every restaurant I Yelp that has one of these God-forsaken machines. On to the food- I've read several poor food reviews for Bantu but I think I had a better experience. I ordered fried rice and street corn. The rice was on the bland side but completely edible. The corn was kind of the same deal, ok but not terribly flavorful, still perfectly edible though. Staff was nice, it was a long wait to get a God-awful Coke refill from the God-awful Freestyle machine but it did happen eventually. I can see us coming back here but its not one of those places you think much about after you leave.
(3)Randolph W.
I liked this place a lot. I've been there just once but the experience was great. Had the Thai coconut soup, shrimp pad Thai and the Asian BBQ sandwich (not all at once!). The food was excellent. Not sure if the pad Thai noodles were rice or not - will ask them next time - they were big and fat - not the typical rice thin noodles that I'm used to - but it tasted very good. The Asian pork BBQ was very very good - I'm definitely getting that again. Not sure why so people had average to below ratings. People are just so picky. This place is good and I'll be back.
(5)Brad T.
We drove all the way to the Avalon just to eat at Bantu. I selected the restaurant from Avalon's website based upon Bantu's menu. We were looking forward to some steamed buns, Korean ramen and dimsum. When we looked at the menu, it was completely different from the website. The not overly polite waiter said the restaurant changed owners a week ago, and it was going to be a bar. In the mean time, they were "just trying stuff". Great! We left.
(1)Tom E.
Bear H and Annie C were awesome enough to come to my neck of the woods. We went to Avalon, and took the walk around. We saw Bantu, which looked like Asian Fusion. Being non-judgmental of previous Yelp reviews, we decided to give it a shot. When we walked in, I noticed two things: this place was in "the weeds", and they probably shouldn't have an open kitchen (open kitchens are an easy way to tell if a place has its shit together). More on that later. I loved the decor though- looks like Yeah! Burger Westside had a kid with Farm Burger Buckhead. They had the heaters on the patio, and have "Big Ass Fans" on the interior. Along with the Coke Freestyle, they seemed to spare no expense. That is s shame though (again, more on that later). We sat on the patio (table for 4) and noticed a Bantu fleece blanket on one of the chairs. No idea where that came from, but it was utilized for warmth. I also noticed a tray of condiments, which only 2/4 items were marked. One looked like black salt, I could melted it down, gotten high, crashed down and then maybe I would have gotten my food. The menu was definitely Asian fusion, as in scattered all over the place. It seemed like a small representation of each Asian country composed the menu. When it was time to order, I ordered 1 crispy shrimp taco ($2 each, or 6 for a plate. Note I ordered 1), 1 pork taco, and an order of pork shumai. I got a vanilla Coke to drink. We sat, and sat, and waited. At least it gave us time to catch up. Or first round of food were my tacos and Bear's app (I already forgot what he had). So much for the 2 tacos, I ended up getting 6. After seeing how small they were, I was actually glad we got 6- since at this point, we had waited 45 minutes for just those. The tacos were unfortunately underwhelming. 15 minutes later, Annie's salad and Bear's soup came out. The microwave must have broke. She got a tuna salad, which at first thought it was wrong item. All of the meat and topping were underneath the lettuce. Last but not least, the appetizers came out. Yes, you read the correctly. My shumai and Annie's steamed buns finally made it out. This was 20 minutes AFTER the last round came out. I was appalled when after waiting 1 hour, 10 minutes for my appetizer, the meat was fucking cold. And not from sitting there cold, but undercooked cold- as it was cold enough to noticed the pork was still slightly frozen in the middle cold. During all of this, I thought to myself that these people either truly don't give a crap, or they or really great masking their emotions. I know if I ran that kitchen and walked into that, I would flip a shit. The table next to us waited even longer. They got comped. If that was the case, every table should have gotten comped. I should have used the Yelp check in offer for the free order of street corn. It would probably be ready by now. What saddens me the most is that this place seems to have the same issues since late November. If you are decent, the kinks work out about after a month or so. It still hasn't here. If they keep it up, they will be the first place to close down in Avalon, which is a shame- it's a really hip place. So yea, like some of the other yelpers stated- if you wanted Asian in Avalon, you are better off going to Whole Foods. Ouch.
(1)Kim N.
Great food & decent service. Outdoor seating available if weather permits. Bantu is tucked in a corner that can be easily missed in my opinion. I haven't had much luck with other restaurants at the Avalon so far so I was skeptical about Bantu. We ending up having a pleasant dinner at Bantu so we'll definitely come back here before we dine at Bocado or Antico (both over-hyped & over-priced) again. ~Brussels sprouts - a great appetizer! This was surprisingly really good ~street corn - didn't much much flavor so it was just ok ~BBQ pork udon - a bit salty but overall good flavor ~thai coconut udon - the thai coconut broth 's really rich & delicious; you can pick chicken, tofu, or shrimp ~thai sandwich - comes with Japanese or sweet potato fries; we got the Japanese fries, which were just ok. The sandwich itself was pretty good.
(4)Chris D.
Yelp and their phone say open until 9pm. They were closed at 8:15. At least El Felix is amazing!
(1)Pam C.
Solid 3 stars, 3.5 if it was available, suprised by the low yelp rating. Maybe I just ordered the right thing :) We had the lunch specials. Choose from a list of 4-5 entrees, a side and your drink for $10. Their berk sandwich (think pork burger), it was excellent, great asian flavors. Grouper sandwich, very good, but not asian inspired (that I could taste). Their Brussels sprouts were great. Tossed in a hoisin sauce, right up my alley. Would definitely visit again.
(3)Paul P.
Horrible!! Fried pickles were somewhat OK. Salad was expensive and not that great. Batter fried fish did not seem fresh and Pad Thai was the worst I ever had. How do you even mess up Pad Thai!!
(1)Kar T.
I'd like to give Bantu a better review, but since I'm being honest today, I can only give this restaurant 2 stars. The best thing about the restaurant were their prices. I don't think it's really asian fusion anymore, they have a new menu, but they probably should have kept the old one Everything was reasonably priced with all entrees under 20 dollars. However I would have gladly paid more for food that was a little more tasty. For a starter we ordered the pork poutine, not fabulous but the pork belly on top was probably the best thing we ate all night. The chicken pot pie and the lobster roll were both uninspired, lacking in flavor and very heavy. The chicken in the pot pie was extremely dry. The service was adequate. However they did forget to give silverware, we recieved them about 5 minutes after our entrees arrived. For the price of the meal I can't really complain. You get what you pay for, but next time I'll go somewhere else and pay a little bit more
(2)Charles G.
I really enjoyed our experience here! The wait staff was hit or miss, but the food was great even if the menu items are a little misleading. When we saw a steamed bun filled with meat we didn't expect a slider, but it was really good. The noodle dishes we ate were both delicious, but a lot more southeast Asian influenced than we had expected. We will definitely stop back by here when we go to Avalon.
(4)Mindy R.
Bantu is located in the Avalon, along the main street. Once you walk in, it is kind of awkward. There is no order of where you go to sit or if you order first, or what? People greet you in, but its like...do I sit or order first? Not the case. I choose to sit in, (pick any seat you like) by the windows. A server came by with a menu (ahhh the confusion had minus down). Bantu has a lot of interesting combinations of Asian flare with American flare. The "Korean" Twinkie was savory but not impressive like I thought it would be. BUT, I have tried their sample of the cinnamon donut sprinkled with confectioner sugar. My word, that was delicious. Hot & yummy! I plan to try their other items on the menu sometime in the future. However, this place is great to grab a quick bite when shopping around the Avalon.
(3)Erik M.
I can't wait to come back to try something different sums it up. For those people who said that the food is not like what you are used to, that's the whole point. Go back to Buford Highway! The food here is not only delicious, but innovative.
(5)Amelia J.
A friend and I stopped here for lunch for the first time. Parking in Avalon is a nightmare, but I don't blame Bantu for that. The place itself is nicely decorated, but isn't set up particularly well-- the host had us follow him to the back of the place to get menus, and then turn around and follow him to the front again so we could sit down. The food itself was nice-- we ordered Pork Belly Buns, which were delicious, though a touch overpriced. I had the Pork Belly Ramen, and my friend had a beef sandwich. Both were good-- nothing extraordinary, but good. All in all, this is a nice ramen spot, but I don't know that I'd rush to return.
(3)Steve W.
I'm not sure about the other yelpers, but we really liked our first visit Great service and great food! Brussel sprouts and coconut udon were fantastic!!!
(5)Amy S.
Per the waitress recommendation, we got the pork potstickers and I got the Thai coconut udon (noodle dish). Husband ordered the BBQ pork udon (noodle dish). We used our Yelp check in for the free street corn and shared the "Berk" pork sandwich with Japanese fries. I thought the pot stickers and Thai coconut udon were excellent. My husband thought the BBQ pork udon was "okay." He much preferred the Berk sandwich with fried egg and bacon added, I did not. I also enjoyed the street corn, but my husband wasn't impressed. The street corn is ears of corn on the cob with a sauce over it, bacon, and dehydrated pork. As you can tell, we're varied on tastes. I enjoy creative cuisines and I feel Bantu had things to offer flavor wise whereas my husband just likes more of the norm when it comes to food. I hope that helps you decide!
(4)Nina Y.
This place just isn't very good. The menu description of the pho says it has chicken sausage. Mine had some slightly dry chicken breast. The bean sprouts were not fresh (some slimy, ewww) and there was no basil or cilantro on the side, just mint. The husband got a seafood curry bowl. He described it as muddy. I would agree. The flavor and consistency both resembled mud. The fish was shredded in little bits. Just odd. I personally prefer counter service and was disappointed that they switched.
(2)Sarah S.
I'm floored by our crap-tastic experience today. walked in to no wait and plenty of open tables. we were immediately given a table and our waiter promptly came over for our drink order. good so far. then our meal order is taken and that was pretty much the last time we had much, if any, interaction with our waiter. we waited for an HOUR for our food and received only half of our order and it was served completely wrong (asked for shrimp and received extra chicken and asked for tacos and were never put in). our waiter offered no apologies but said management was not charging us because of the "mix up". we then waited an uncomfortable 20 more mins for our check (for drink order) and in this time, the co-owner walked by our table maybe 15x to give full, impeccable service to the table of 6 next to us. Not even once did he look at us or talk to us considering HE was the one who approved comping our meal. When we went to leave, I went up and spoke to him about how awful our experience was and he had absolutely NO concern at all. Instead of apologizing, he made an excuse that they were short staffed, which I asked why it was he never came to our table while he was giving exemplary service to table next to us. he offered no excuse or apology and just offered to send me a certificate to come back which I declined. I will NEVER come back and would NEVER recommend this place...These arrogant, lazy jerks could care less about serving you or making a happy dining experience.
(1)Monica P.
Went here with some friends on Friday night...meh. We planned to go somewhere else but everywhere had an hour+ wait and we were going to a movie. I saw Bantu on the morning news, looked good and wanted to try it, but now I wish I had checked Yelp before going. If you want fast casual Asian, you'd be better off walking to the Whole Foods for their noodle and stir fry station. My husband and I both got the beef pho, and like the other reviews said the broth had no flavor, seriously, the bean sprouts overpowered the broth. The beef was too thick and chewy, they use mint instead of basil, the noodles were mushy. Between the lime, cilantro, and mint it tasted like someone dropped a mojito in my soup. Neither of us finished, and the three people we were with had also given up on their seafood curry soup and pad Thai. Other people had bowls of noodles that looked good, that they seemed to be enjoying. Maybe I'll go back to try something else, but probably not anytime soon and definitely not without a coupon, I'm not paying $25 for two bowls of "soup" again.
(2)Matthew D.
Came to Bantu while visiting from out of town. My sister had explained to me the buzz surrounding its opening, and it did not disappoint! What a wonderful, clean, modern space! It has the very chic, big-city vibe that all suburbs should be lucky to call their own. I found the young lady at the counter to be friendly, engaging, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Prior to my arrival, I had seen this newcomer's logo, and was subliminally inclined to eat pig. My new friend at the register recommended the pork belly pho and the BBQ pork soba. Both dishes were prepared and executed without flaw. I did not want to stop eating. My only regret was not having a larger appetite. I thought the portions and prices represented a fantastic value based on the quality of the ingredients, thoughtfulness in presentations and the bustling atmosphere.
(5)Johnny T.
I wanted to get a my ramen fix and was excited to have a place in Alpharetta. The place looks great and good ambience, however, that was that was positive. We ordered pork belly ramen and beef ramen with the chai tea. Here is where it all went downhill the ramen noodles were over cooked and tasted like mush, ramen is suppose to have this slight chewiness to it and they failed. The bowl lacked broth, it appears that my broth was fully absorbed by the noodles and had absolutely little broth to enjoy, the pork belly tasted good (hard for pork belly not to). The beef ramen meat was so-so but again the broth and noodles was a epic fail. The last straw was the chai coconut water, I received a can of coconut water with no chai...go figure. So 2 bowls of overlooked ramen noodles with no broth, chai coco water with no chai, and green tea sums up to $40. Considering that they just opened I'm sympathetic to provide a bad review, I feel that I want to give them another try but don't think it's worth another $40 attempt when ramen on Buford is $8.95 a bowl vs $12.95 at Bantu.
(1)Cody R.
I'm willing to give this place the benefit of the doubt because they're just opening and likely going through growing pains, but here's how it went down: Bantu is a really nice looking shop with, as other reviewers have mentioned, a good atmosphere. The food, however, leaves much to be desired. We both ordered pork belly ramen, which took 45 minutes to prepare, and when it arrived, looked like we each had received half a bowl's worth. At $12.95 a bowl (far overpriced), it was quite a disappointment. Despite the menu saying that the ramen came with a soft-boiled egg, kimchi, and a few other items, NONE of those were present in the bowl. The noodles were stuck together and undercooked, the broth was bland, and although pork belly usually has a lot of flavor, they amazingly still managed to make it taste like nothing--I had to commit the sacrilege of adding Sriracha to my bowl of ramen just to give it any flavor at all! Maybe I'll give them a second chance 3-6 months down the road and order something else, but the best advice I can give is to skip Bantu and make the drive down to Shoya or Umaido for a far better bowl of noodles. My recommendations to Bantu? Drop the prices ($8.99 would be a gracious plenty), increase the portions, and really work on the taste and consistency.
(2)Mario P.
Does not worth it.!!! I went there ( 11/29/2014) as a complete new customer of this " asian fusion restaurant", I asked for advice to the person on the counter who pretend being knowledgeable. He was wrong, or he was trained to sale not matter what. I ordered a Seafood Curry Ramen ( is like a noodle curry soup, very spicy) and contain almost everything except they missed the seafood on the recipe. And my wife ordered a PHO that is a soup with beef. Two of this with a glass of water for $33 Well, let me I tell you that Alpharetta is plenty of great Asian restaurants where you can have a great meal for $22 bucks with great quality. Just give a chance of places like " Saigon Caffee" at Windward Parkway, or THAI STAR CAFE ALPHARETTA *** I would not return to this place or recommend to any of my friends, until somebody tell me they improve ***
(1)Nancy B.
I was surprised this wasn't really Asian food, at least not for the $10 Express lunch. Most items were pizzas, burgers and grilled cheese. I can find that anywhere. I would give it three stars if just for one thing alone and that was the amazing brussels sprouts side item. The drink machine was out, the service was very slow and seemed scattered. The kitchen lost the order of the table next to me and I was frustrated for them. The waitress confessed that they are changing their name and leaning more towards burgers, pizza's and American fare. Meh. Nothing special.
(2)Robert F.
This place has a very unique menu and has very fresh ingredients and you can tell! Even my 3 picky kids all loved what they had including Street Foods and Noodle dishes served in broths! This will be a regular dining place for us now!
(5)Jake S.
Very disappointed with our visit to Bantu tonight. Pad Thai was inedible. Beef Ramen was not much better. Would not go back. Edamame was the best part of the meal. Wish I had read the other Yelp reviews before we visited.
(1)Jonathan S.
Highly recommended! Best noodles I've had in the States. Our server was fantastic. We will be returning next time we're in the Atlanta area for sure! Just delicious!
(5)Diane T.
Horrible. Everything is horrible. Water and coke is good that's about it. Pad Thai tastes like it was made from lime juice. Asian bbq pork udon broth has no flavor. Steam bun was pure grease and fat. You've been warned.
(1)Ashley A.
I thought this place was pretty good I have never had anything like it before. I ordered the chicken pad Thai and the portion was huge and the meal was very flavorful. I could only find one thing on the menu that look familiar. I have nothing to compare to this place but thought it was decent.
(2)Doug M.
It took nearly an hour for all of our meal to arrive. For a place where you order at the counter and grab a number, we were very surprised how long it took to drop some noodles in some broth. We were with a group so we tried several items on the menu. The Pad Thai was bizarre and unlike any we've had, and not in a good way. Overpowering lime taste with very little other flavors. The beef ramen took all the condiments on the table to give it flavor. The Pho was OK once heavily salted, but the beef in it was too tough to eat. The Pork Belly sandwich had a nice flavor but was overpriced for the amount of ingredients. I was 3 bites into the sandwich until I got a piece of meat. We agreed we could get over the slow service as they are new, but the food is just plain bad. We won't be back.
(1)Paul S.
Damn! ! I didn't read the reviews. I usually eat Asian food on Bufford highway. This was much like tin drum. But more expensive and slow. We had the beef ramen noodles and they tasted like a bullion cube was used for the seasoning. We had the Tom Kha udon and it was very mild in flavor to anything I've ever had. I wouldn't recommend this, save your money.
(2)Jared H.
Not bad overall. The food was a bit blah but it's a new place so we'll check back in a few months to see if they've stepped up their game. Nice atmosphere, though.
(3)Yelp R.
Meh...I had really high expectations of this place bc I'm a huge noodle brothy person. I read the previous reviews but decided to go anyway. After tasting the ramen I would have to agree that it is tasteless. I also had to add hot sauce and salt/spices to the food. Broth was too thick and there was too little of it. service was good however....I'll probably try some more dishes just to see but I don't know about this place now...
(2)Erin H.
I was so looking forward to a bowl of ramen, i took a total of 4 bites before leaving it & walking out. The noodles were all soggy, the broth tasted like fish, the egg should have been a soft-boiled egg but instead it was a poached egg. It was honestly inedible. Very disappointed. Dont waste your money.
(1)Rohan P.
Tasteless Americanized versions of Asian fare that can be much better procured on Buford Hwy. Pho with chicken sausage meatballs? Really? I couldn't add flavor to the bland Ramen sauce despite my attempt with generous use of Sriracha. The service was fine. The setting is comfy modern. Price is too much. Won't be coming back.
(2)Edward R.
We have eaten at Bantu a few times since they opened. I have had the Tom Kha Kai Udon and the Asian BBQ Pork Udon. The food arrived hot and is very tasty. The restaurant has a beautiful interior and a great outdoor eating area that wraps around the restaurant. I would highly recommend this restaurant and I cannot wait to go back!
(5)Lucy K.
We loved it, my son included. I thought the flavors in my TOM KHA KAI UDON were outstanding. We enjoyed the atmosphere and the staff. Everyone was helpful and the service was quick and efficient. We look forward to coming back!
(4)amy k.
The food is excellent. The menu is creative and inventive. The staff is knowledgable and friendly. Love the ambiance too! A big fan. Will be back
(5)Oyette R.
We wanted for this place to have good ramen so we didn't have to drive all the way to Buford highway for a ramen fix. Unfortunately, it was not good at all. They didn't have the full menu yet because they just opened. We had pork belly ramen and beef ramen. The broth tasted like water. I had to put about a teaspoon of salt and a whole bunch of sriracha to give it flavor. The pork belly in it was good (it's hard for pork belly not to be good). The beef ramen had steak, which was tasteless and tough. The restaurant itself is clean, and the service was not bad.. but the food is not good. We went home and got $0.99 maruchan ramen. :)
(1)Elizabeth H.
High prices, terrible service, SLOW kitchen, mediocre food. I will not be returning any time soon.
(1)Phil R.
Had the asian hot dog and street corn today. Delicious. Seems like they have improved the menu choices since first opening. They switched to full service also. Definitely going back for more street food choices.
(4)T N.
SAVE YOUR MONEY! Over priced and flavorless. Got up and left food sitting on the table. Food served lukewarm.
(1)Whit G.
By far the worst food in Alpharetta! Their Pad Thai is a joke and the Beef Ramen was inedible!!! This was the first time I have ever walked out of a restaurant to go eat somewhere else because the food was that horrible! I will stick with going to Buford Hwy for my noodle fix!
(1)Rachel K.
I came into Bantu excited for a new twist on Asian cuisine, and I was greeted with a great ambiance and restaurant design. The service was very good and everyone was very kind. However, I was not impressed by the food. It should not be labeled as "fusion" because there was no mixing of cultures in any of the dishes. They were, instead, poorly made versions of classic dishes. I have gotten better pho in larger quantities and for a cheaper price than at Bantu. I was given a beef pho with way too much broth, overly-tough beef, and barely any noodles. Only after adding way more Sriracha than I usually have to, it was bearable. My mother ordered the Udon that was also bland and had tough beef. My sister's Pork Belly Ramen was absolutely tasteless and even Sriracha couldn't save it. All of this was over $40, a ridiculous amount for the lackluster quality and small servings. I would suggest that you find your Asian food at another place. If you want reliably delicious pho, I would suggest Le Mekong, which gives you way more pho and for a much more reasonable price.
(2)Chare B.
This place was horrible. The Pad Thai was the worst I ever had. The fried rice tastes burnt. The shrimp potstickers were not even fully steamed. I definitely won't be back.
(1)Grant P.
I'm really not sure why there are a lot of people hating on Bantu...I ate there with my family, and everyone got something different and everyone liked what they got. We even got some apps like the corn and salads and some fried rice. The corn was one of the most interesting dishes I've ever had and was delicious. And I got it for free for checking in to yelp! I had the curry bowl and it too was delicious. My mom got the Pad Thai and loved it (but I will say, I tried it and it was not one of the best Pad Thai's I've ever had). The pork belly tacos were SUPER good. And on top of it all, our waiter was a cool dude--laid back, jokey, and very nice. Overall a great experience here. Don't listen to these yelpers. They only come on here if they are extremely happy, or, more commonly, if they are extremely unhappy.
(5)Chris H.
Well 2 stars because the Chinese meatballs and pork buns were REALLY good and flavorful. So it confuses me that the noodles were so god awful. The pad Thai is the WORST I have ever had. Now Buford highway is my best friend, but I am realistic in north fulton. The pad Thai tasted like nothing. In fact I dumped so much hot sauce and "Bantu" sauce on it and it barely was edible. "Japanese" fries are just regular fries with some piss poor Sarachi mayo. Service was miserable especially since there were only 2 other tables seated. Guess I should have known that was a bad sign. I did not read yelp precious to going here and that was a mistake. I so wish I had gone to antico.
(2)Jessica L.
My husband and I hesitated eating here for some reason. Possibly just the location. We went to Avalon one evening and it was so busy this was the only option. We had a pleasant time sitting on the patio but both got really sick after our meal. We probably won't be back.
(1)Mark E.
I agree with a number of the prior comments. The Pho is "not like momma used to make" and the ramen isn't like I used to eat in Korea. The chef was understandably shocked when I asked for a slice of cheese in my ramen. Even so, I had to take a step back. We shouldn't try to find momma's recipes here. That's what Buford Highway is for. When it comes to Pho, I've followed mom's recipe and spent hours making a complex broth. At Bantu, if I don't focus on the traditional recipe, I can see clearly that the chef has compiled an equally complex broth, even if it is different ingredients. Add the special smoked salt and that garlic stuff they have and omg, it's a really flavorful, comforting bowl of soup. Always ask for extra lime. On the ramen, agree on my first attempt the broth fell short and the noodles needed work. I have not tried again since. That's because I love the pho. That's all I get. I have seen the leaders at Bantu adjusting along the way to try to satisfy the masses. They do care. For example, the beef in the pho has improved some (size of cut and tenderness) and when I walked in today, they have begun table service. I'm thankful to have something like this nearby. So, I didn't give it a 5 because improvement can still happen. I didn't give this a 3 because I'd love them to stay in Avalon. PS - best sandwich is the BBQ pork. I may bring my own bottle of Maggie for the other sandwiches.
(4)Jeremy H.
They have GF options but that will come at a huge compromise. Food is mediocre at best! Will NEVER come back here. Had to order more white rice to combat all the soy sauce in my daughter's fried rice. Honestly, ready-to-make Asian food from the market is better than this place.
(1)Rhett S.
Had the Pad Thai here and was really unimpressed. Just a lot of weird Flavors going on here, and WAY too many bean sprouts. (For my taste at least) and it really upset my stomach. I was expecting this place to be more like a Tin Drum, which is one of my favorite places but this isn't even a comparison. I probably wouldn't come back. I will say the restaurant has a really cool vibe about it, the food however is lacking.
(1)Bongski D.
The fusion experiment failed on this one. Another excuse to messed up with a simple recipe and taste. The choices are very limited/not kid friendly. I would just walk over to Whole Foods food court and get a better meal for half the price.
(1)Shyam T.
Let me preface this by saying that this place would be given a three and a half stars if it weren't for the fact Yelp does not allow a half star rating. This place is very much handicap accessible both in the restaurant and parking. In terms of location it's in the luxurious Avalon where the restaurant is nice and cozily tucked in the plaza. In terms of service it was solid, quick and timely. The quality of the food itself was not amazing but still solid. Prices are relatively reasonable at least for the lunch hour. Dinner prices I do not know since I've not had dinner here. I probably would go back here. I should also mention that this is not authentic this is a fusion restaurant, so don't expect authenticity but rather a nice option catered for a wide variety of tastes. It is a solid eat in a solid community.
(3)Jessica B.
I would agree that they need to spice up the flavoring a bit, but this place is still really good.
(5)Mitch S.
Very convenient location in Avalon, especially with everything else so busy right now. The food is about what you would expect in this location...very average. We had edamame, which tasted like it came out of the microwave. We also had the Pad Thai and Tom Kai Chicken. Both portions were large with decent freshness of ingredients, but just not at all authentic food...very Americanized with muted flavors. I would not go back, but they will stay busy due to location. Also, my son and I had a stomach ache later that night.
(1)Kevin R.
It looks like our experience was way better than most of the previous reviews. Yes it's a bit pricey, but the dish I had (Asian BBQ Udon) was big, beautiful, and extremely flavorful. We were there earlier than the big lunch crowd, so the wait wasn't a problem. I'm sure if we had to wait 45 minutes for our food, it would have put a damper on things. Probably not a place you'd want to eat at every week, but definitely a good place to grab a bite while you're at Avalon. We'll be back to try it out again.
(4)Katy M.
We visited Avalon to check it out and decided to grab a quick bite at Bantu. Great concept but poor delivery. The space is beautiful, but just as the other reviews indicate, the food is overpriced, the portions are small, and the food lacks flavor. The staff was very nice and attentive. They came by a few times to see if we needed anything, but never asked how the food tasted. We tried the Pad Thai, which didn't taste anything like the flavor of any Pad Thai dish I'd ever had. It was so flavorless that we were desperately trying the table condiments in an attempt to jazz it up a bit. After we left I was still hungry, so we walked to Goldbergs to have a plate of French fries! I hope they are able to make adjustments. It's a great space, location and concept. I also appreciated the option of rice noodles.
(2)Cynthia B.
Hmmm how to put this nicely, never mind there is no way to do it. Ordered pad Thai and udon curry. Probably the worst pad Thai I have ever had, ever! Zero taste and $11 and had about two cubes of tofu. Udon was uneventful. They have a plate of sauces to put on and now I know why...nothing has any flavor. I'm hoping this is a fluke but from other reviews I see it's not. The waitress said oh u don't like it? Ok sorry and that was it. Ok, customer service people! I haven't been happy with any place in Avalon food wise, except for whole foods haha!
(1)Brooke L.
Not bad just overpriced. $43 for two entrees and one over their lower priced sakis after "suggested" 18% tip. For that price and that tip Im going to a full sit down restaurant. For quick food next time I'm going to Tin Drum.
(3)Aidan M.
What a fantastic concept. . MY family had a great experience. When you walk in the next generation of culinary delights open your imagination. Not the same main stream food. From the decor to the staff. My Kids had pad thi and pho bowl.. We had an amazing Pork belly sandwich full of tender pork and a Salmon miso salad... I would kill for the dressing.. Great assortment of Imported and local brew. The kids loved the Soda make your own flavor. The plug your phone power supply is great. The rest rooms where spotless. We left for the first time in a long time going to different restaurants having a smile on the Family's face saying that we wanted to try more. Wow.. Great job... I love new stuff.. YOU GOT TO TRY BANTU..
(5)Katie P.
My husband and I went here one evening while walking around Avalon. Walked in and loved the look of the restaurant and the staff were all super nice. We both ordered the Pad Thai and it took forever to come out of the kitchen. Unfortunately, it wasn't worth the wait because the Pad Thai had NO flavor. I ended up mixing in the sauces that were on the table to make it taste like something, which kind of helped. Overall, we were totally disappointed and will not be going back. I'll be surprised if this places stays open especially with all of the other great restaurants around the area.
(1)Esther O.
Worst meal I've ever had. Also, highly overpriced. Not worth the visit. I will never go here again.
(1)Jacob A.
Good concept, poorly executed. Food was horrible. If you're in a mood for noodles go to saigon. P.s. Don't get the Korean bbq twinkie.
(1)Lindsey N.
Blech. I love Pho. Love to try it whenever I get a chance anywhere. This was seriously sub par. Noodles are the thicker ones - bland. Broth - bland and greasy. Meat - flavorless. I put half a bottle of Siracha and a boat load of salt and still didn't make it through the whole bowl. My husbands bowl was the same. $30 bucks down the drain. And $30 bucks ain't exactly the cheapest "fast-casual" lunch...especially when I might as well have eaten cardboard.
(1)Soul D.
I've only had the Thai coconut udon and absolutely loved it! Chicken is a little dry but the broth is delicious.
(3)Robert Z.
Visited during their Grand Opening last week.The architecture is really cool and modern looking, clean and crisp with custom wood seats and tables. Had the Thai Beef Banh-mi and Beef Pho noodle soup. The sandwich was awesome, if you never had a Banh-Mi, you have to stop by and try one, the best I had. The Pho was full of noodles and fragrant broth and vegetables. Floating on top was rare/med-rare beef slices. Going back soon, lots of bang for your buck!
(5)Karen R.
I would agree with other reviews - food was bland, no flavor at all. After ordering we waited close to 40 minutes for our food to be delivered. Yes, 40 minutes! For a noodle bowl??? The food did not make up for it, I was so disappointed in how bad it was. My husband had the pad thai and it had no sauce at all, just plain noodles and some veggies. I had the seafood curry that was supposed to be spicy. It has a mild smokey flavor but no spice at all. I was excited about all the broth but it was so bad I picked around the seafood and noodles and left the rest. For $10 to $13 per dish I expected a lot better. Service was pretty poor, but with it being new I can overlook that. But the overly long wait for our food and the poor food quality - we will not go back. I can't think of any positive except it has a nice location. Save your $$ and go elsewhere.
(1)Greg V.
A wonderfully innovative surprise in the middle of a beautiful complex. Forget the ordinary when you enter these doors. A warm and welcoming staff awaits as you enter. Ambience is casual chic. Don't enter looking for normal Buford Highway fare; and if Pad Thai is your only bag, try a little change. Like on a cold night, the Seafood Curry Udon has a taste and aroma that will set you free....ample serving with absolutely the freshest shrimp and salmon, fresh veggies and the redolent fragrance of coriander. The shrimp tempura sandwich was more than filling. Chef Ciaran Duffy is constantly innovating, so expect change....with no sacrifice of quality or freshness of ingredients. Modern interior, unusual hickory smoked salt at tables. Exterior heated with gas lamps. Couples, families, or individual friendly. Try it....you'll like it!!
(5)Doug M.
It took nearly an hour for all of our meal to arrive. For a place where you order at the counter and grab a number, we were very surprised how long it took to drop some noodles in some broth. We were with a group so we tried several items on the menu. The Pad Thai was bizarre and unlike any we've had, and not in a good way. Overpowering lime taste with very little other flavors. The beef ramen took all the condiments on the table to give it flavor. The Pho was OK once heavily salted, but the beef in it was too tough to eat. The Pork Belly sandwich had a nice flavor but was overpriced for the amount of ingredients. I was 3 bites into the sandwich until I got a piece of meat. We agreed we could get over the slow service as they are new, but the food is just plain bad. We won't be back.
(1)Paul S.
Damn! ! I didn't read the reviews. I usually eat Asian food on Bufford highway. This was much like tin drum. But more expensive and slow. We had the beef ramen noodles and they tasted like a bullion cube was used for the seasoning. We had the Tom Kha udon and it was very mild in flavor to anything I've ever had. I wouldn't recommend this, save your money.
(2)Jared H.
Not bad overall. The food was a bit blah but it's a new place so we'll check back in a few months to see if they've stepped up their game. Nice atmosphere, though.
(3)Brooke L.
Not bad just overpriced. $43 for two entrees and one over their lower priced sakis after "suggested" 18% tip. For that price and that tip Im going to a full sit down restaurant. For quick food next time I'm going to Tin Drum.
(3)Jacob A.
Good concept, poorly executed. Food was horrible. If you're in a mood for noodles go to saigon. P.s. Don't get the Korean bbq twinkie.
(1)Lindsey N.
Blech. I love Pho. Love to try it whenever I get a chance anywhere. This was seriously sub par. Noodles are the thicker ones - bland. Broth - bland and greasy. Meat - flavorless. I put half a bottle of Siracha and a boat load of salt and still didn't make it through the whole bowl. My husbands bowl was the same. $30 bucks down the drain. And $30 bucks ain't exactly the cheapest "fast-casual" lunch...especially when I might as well have eaten cardboard.
(1)Soul D.
I've only had the Thai coconut udon and absolutely loved it! Chicken is a little dry but the broth is delicious.
(3)