Great lunch buffet. Always busy at lunch so arrive early. Lots of really good vegetarian options, which is why I go here often for lunch. They also have a menu with the best Pho in the Peoria area. On Saturdays only, they offer a special Saturday Pho which is excellent. In the mood for something different, try their bubble tea. Very unique. Arriving at 11:00am for lunch you'll have a chance to park in front, otherwise there will be parking behind the building.
(4)
Meg L.
I love this place. The food is fresh and amazing. The flavors are vibrant, the prices are low and the portions are huge. I ate off of my green curry for 4 days! Everything I've had there has been an adventure. Try something new! Your won't regret it.
(5)
Natalie C.
Love this place! The pho here is just as good (if not better!) as some of the pho I had when I grew up in California near Little Saigon. It's like a little taste of home right here in Peoria. I always get the pho without meat and add vegetables to it. It's definitely a different way of eating pho, but I really enjoy it. I actually initially just asked the waitress to get it with no meat and she suggested to get it with veggies as a substitute and I'm so glad I did. There's really nothing better than a nice warm bowl of pho on a cold day...or really any other day!
(5)
Sarah T.
Best pho ever here! Hot, fresh and come with lots of herbs and veggies on the side. Flavor I great and you get a bunch for your money. This is by far my favorite Thai place. Get there early for dinner, because otherwise you will have a wait. This place is well know in the area.
(5)
Saalai S.
Good food, Buffet, not very good for vegetarians. They had one vegetarian dish and rice. But al a cart food amazing taste, good presentation. The place is packed most of the time. Obviously because of the good food. Will go here often, but too bad I can only order al a cart. :(.
(4)
Annmarie G.
My boyfriend and I went here today because One World Cafe was busy and we didn't want to wait. We ended up being pretty happy with that decision. From the outside, Thanh Linh does not look that impressive, but its interior is - contemporary and clean. I was impressed. The service was a little bit odd however. When we walked in and told the hostess how many were in our party, we followed her to what we thought was going to be our table, only to realize she was helping another group. Whoops. Then, there was an awkward dance between the hostess and one of the waiters about seating us which lasted for a few minutes, but we finally ended up with a booth. To be fair, they were pretty busy, but it was a little funny. I had the Vermicelli w/ chicken which was super tasty. The portion was generous. My boyfriend had the special Saturday beef soup, and that was also very good. I enjoyed this place and would definitely come again next time I am in Peoria.
(4)
Terry N.
A solid choice for Vietnamese in Peoria. Being from San Jose, I'm spoiled for choice and quality of Vietnamese food, given the large Vietnamese population out there. So coming out here to Peoria, where there's literally 1 in a 50 mile radius, expectations have to be set accordingly. Let's get the weirdness out of the way- this place has a (mostly panda-express like) lunch buffet, which seems popular with the college kids. Not at all Vietnamese, but hey, this place is hopping, so who am I to judge? The menu looks better, offering Pho, Bun, and rice plate you'd expect from a Vietnamese place. I was happy to see Bun Bo Hue on the menu as well (a spicy beef/pork noodle soup that's one of my favorites), though only offered on Saturdays. I settled on the Bun- GF friendly rice noodle salad with grilled pork and egg rolls with pickled veggies and a sweet fish sauce drizzle. The portion was HUGE. So great value for the money. Quite tasty as well. All in all, this place is busy (good sign), with huge portions at a decent price, and efficient service. If you've gotta get your Vietnamese on in Peoria, it's not a bad choice!
(4)
Kollet K.
Every time I go out of town I look for Vietnamese food and it never comes close to comparing. This is THE BEST FOOD, hands down! I love the thick rice noodles and spicy lemongrass chicken so much I never know what to order.... So I do both / servings are large and leftovers are abundant and good the second day too!!
(5)
Mark S.
Some of the best food in Peoria! Basil chicken rocks the house! The Thai tea is cold and refreshing. Spring rolls are top.
(5)
Jennifer J.
Consistently the best food in town. Love the buffet, but also love getting the green curry for take out.
(5)
Michael M.
I have lived in San Francisco and Oakland, this place is not a far cry from the restaurants in the Bay Area. Matter of fact this restaurant is much cleaner than those. The food came out quick and it was prepared perfect. The only reason I'm holding back a star is because I've not tried the buffet. I wish I had known about this place sooner, it's worth the drive from Bloomington.
(4)
Jake W.
Best Asian food in the Peoria area - hands down. Great lunch buffet if you are in a hurry during the week. They (usually)have great pho which is next to impossible to find outside a large city. They have lots of great dishes some are less Americanized... While others are more (easy for us to find something for the kids too) It is usually crowded & noisy, and the restrooms are about what you might expect in a gas station (avoid).
(4)
Dale T.
This is my "go to" place when I can't decide where to eat. Always reliably good. Saturday soup is a religious experience.
(5)
Jessica C.
Best pho in Peoria (although can't compare to Tank Noodles in Viet-town/uptown/chicago). Actually, best Asian restaurant in all of peoria! Maybe the other best Asian restaurant is Rasoi Indian up north. My other favorite dish is green curry--which is ironically spicier than red curry and very delicious. All of their portions are great! My roomate and I do take out from here all the time but I wouldn't recommend doing pho take out since it's much much better eaten in the restaurant. I introduced her to pho here and she loves it. Be sure to add sriracha and hoisin and all the veges. Their viet iced coffee is also delicious. Their buffets are really well priced for about 10 main dishes and 6 appetizer type dishes during the lunch buffet. Not sure about dinner buffet. Overall, a really great place!
(5)
Joe B.
Been on and off going here for years, but when they remodeled and expanded, the place picked up and so did the crowd. Liked the buffet originally, but now I order off the menu only. Much better quality ordering off of the menu. Atmosphere: Front windows brighten the place during the day, well planned and easy to move around. Simple decor and isn't too noisy. Service: When empty, the service is excellent! If its pretty crowded, your table will get constant attention but due to the size of the restaurant the staff can get a little backed up. Still, food comes up fast, well plated, and they have never forgotten anything. Food: Buffet doesn't change much, but still decent. Selection is limited. Menu items have been excellent so far. Spring rolls are delicious and filling, and taste fresh. The chicken vermicelli bowl is an authentic Vietnamese dish and Thanh Linh definitely does it well. Soups are quite flavorful. Spicy Lemongrass entrees are pretty interesting too. Research Vietnamese cuisine/dishes and choose something off of the menu that seems interesting. Don't fall for the "general asian" dishes, my guess is that they are menu fillers.
(4)
Allison F.
I LOVED my green curry and spring rolls. The food was authentic and--more importantly--delicious. Thanh Linh is hands down the best food in the neighborhood.
(4)
Jennie C.
Excellent pho & humongous portions for the price. Spring rolls were great too. No complaints!
(4)
Nick S.
Tons of great, authentic (to my knowledge at least) :) and delicious stuff here! My current favorite is the "Beef noodle soup." (I think it's #51 on the menu?) It's medium rare beef in a delicious broth with veggies, noodles, and cilantro. I get the small bowl for lunch and can barely finish it. It's huge. Great place to eat!
(5)
Nestor P.
Beware of this restaurant. After a tiring day of test driving a few cars at a nearby car dealer, wife and I decided to find a restaurant along University Ave. We have eaten in this restaurant in the past and food has been good and service was ok. But on this particular night, after being seated , it took the waitress more than 15 minutes just to take our order although there was hardly any customers seated at the tables. There was however several people waiting in line to pay their bill. I let the waitress know my irritation at having to wait so long before our orders were even entertained. Our food orders came promptly however and the food good. We ordered a takeout of fresh rice paper rolls for our kids. But when we got home and the kids tried to take a bite, the food smelled horrible and seemed not fresh at all. Ended up throwing the whole order in the trash. I will probably not go back to this establishment. Advice to those planning to take out food from this place, check your orders before you decide to take it home. Take a quick look and even smell it. These simple steps will take only a few minutes and save you trouble and possible food poisoning later.
(1)
Chris K.
If you visit, you must try their won ton soup. It is pretty amazing and there is enough for two plus left overs for lunch the next day. I also highly suggest trying the green beans. Steamed just enough to heat, yet stay crispy and wonderful flavor. You won't be able to stop until you eat the entire plate of them. The only thing that would make the experience better, would be to have beer or wine available.
(4)
Jason G.
Lemongrass chicken is good and egg rolls are great as well. The food comes out quick and is smoking hot. The staff is very polite and provide great service.
(3)
Chris J.
Drove from Bloomington to try this out - and I wasn't disappointed. I'm a big fan of Vietnamese food - and I really enjoyed Thanh Linh. I had: - vermicelli with pork and egg rolls (it was very good) - chicken egg roll - Lime drink I enjoyed everything - will definitely be back
(4)
He And She I.
We were at the Staybridge for a concert at the Civic Center, and wanted to pick up something quick, cheap and healthy, so I called Thanh Linh. Twenty minutes later we were digging into our hot delicious meal. He had pork chop over rice, with shrimp and fried egg, and I, of course, had chicken pho. The vegetables were crisp and fresh, the pho mixings were packed separately, and it was just what we needed. I would have given the restaurant more stars for an online menu and a bigger sign for us out-of-towers, so I wouldn't have to drive down an alley or park at Jimmy's John's.
(3)
Hannah H.
I always order the grilled Vietnamese-spiced porkchop which came with 3 pieces of grilled shrimp. This all came on top of white rice with a side of pickled cucumbers and a bowl of fish sauce. The porkchop is juicy and had the right amount of seasoning - not too salty and not too bland - a unique blend of ingredients. I believe this is the best Vietnamese style porkchop I've had so far. The shrimp itself were your typical grilled shrimp. The rice was fine. All in all, when you pour all the fish sauce over, it was a satisfying meal. I believe it was one of the better meals you can have in Peoria. The staff are also friendly, and a great place where you call and pick up your order to go. Prices are reasonable and it's a good authentic place to try. +Vietnamese-spiced porkchop +great combo meals :D
(5)
Jane Y.
the pho here is FANTASTIC. GO GET SOME NAOOOO. GO GO GO! hahaha but really mine was so big and had TONS OF MEAT THANK YOU. seriously loveloveloved it the broth was tastey the meat cooked just perfectly tender the noodles such a lovely chewy texture i need to stop writing this review so i can go get some more.. only they're not opened cause its too late right now.. booooo but really, love this place, the servers are great! and the owner is so kind and sweet! they have a cart in downtown (which unfortunately does not serve pho! that would be crazy though.. crazy hard mayn) their other entrees and food are pretty good. i love getting their stir fried beans!
(5)
John S.
I give this place 5 stars. To start with the establishment is clean and the service is fast and friendly. Next, the food. I had the Spicy lemongrass chicken and let me tell you it was amazing. It costed 8.99 for a gigantic portion. I have a huge appetite and I ate half of it and took the other half home. Highly recommend if you are in the Bradley area to try out this place.
(5)
Rachel V.
Looks a little run down outside but pleasant, clean and up to date inside with excellent service and great food. Really enjoyed the spring rolls and the portion sizes are enormous. Next time we will share one entree with appetizer. Good deal for good and authentic food. Good menu variety including plenty of vegetarian options. Will definitely go back.
(5)
J. A.
Very tasty. The lunch buffet had good variety. The vegetable dishes, chicken curry, and ground chicken basil were all delicious. The Bun was not the best, but pretty good. Service was friendly.
(4)
Dawn S.
Atmosphere good, busy place. I ordered red curry and it was okay, very few veggies and way too big of a portion so loads of "broth" and tofu but maybe 5 small veggies. The taste was pretty good although she told us it was very spicy and it was not spicy at all. About the same with the green curry. Some of the soups looked good with a side plate of fresh veggies to add. I would return if I have to come back to Peoria in future but maybe would just change order. It really deserves it 3.5 but hate to round down :)
(4)
Gabriela G.
Excellent quality of food. Family style service. Hearty portions- $8 dishes big enough to share. Cheesy Christmas music the waitress quietly hums along to. Clean establishment- plenty of seating- good use of space. Free Parking. Fast fast service! Plenty of saracha to go around!
(5)
Rebecca B.
this is probably my favorite restaurant in peoria. they do vietnamese food right. my go-to is the pork vermicelli bowl. if you haven't tried this, you should. tons of flavor, super fresh, and really light tasting despite being a noodle dish. the portion (like all of their portions) is huge! i'm also a fan of their spicy lemongrass chicken, grilled lemongrass chicken, crab rangoons & egg rolls. i keep wanting to branch out and try more, but I love my "usual" too much, haha. their 11am - 2pm lunch buffet is a great deal, and the spicy lemongrass chicken they serve on the buffet is different and better than if you order it to go. i think they slow cook the buffet chicken and it literally melts in your mouth. tanh linh is hands down one of the best things peoria has to offer. go there and have a better day.
(5)
Bob R.
Good but only slightly better than OK. Arrived at 1:30 to be told the buffet goes until 2:00 but won't be restocked. Most items were 50% left so we decided to order from the menu. The food was unremarkable. All lacked a depth of flavor... main flavors OK but nothing beyond the first tastes. The seafood pho was OK with a bit of thin sliced pork, a couple shrimp, some imitation crab stix and some chewy squid?. The stir fried chicken noodles had a singular level of flavor. The sweet and sour chicken was hot and batter coated with the traditional neon red S&S sauce. Never received the spring rolls we ordered. Service adequate but not attentive. Overall, I will wait for somewhere else to enjoy Vietnamese.
(3)
Lucy W.
Very flavorful food for a good price, I'm a huge fan! My most recent trip, I went on a Saturday and had their special Saturday Noodle Soup for the first time and was not disappointed. It was savory and spicy (but not too spicy), a great broth. The noodles were a delicious thick, round noodle with an excellent texture and the beef slices were tender and juicy. Their portions are very generous, even a small can satiate your hunger. Other great items on their menu that are foolproof are their Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls and Combination Beef Noodle Soup.
(5)
Joy K.
This is my favorite restaurant to eat at. You have to try the beef jerky I totally recommend it! It's epic!!!!!! The spices are really yummy and there is never to much or to little. The chicken noodle soup is amazing!!!! The prices are perfectly affordable!$
(5)
Charles C.
Definitely good stuff, and the new building is very nice. Also, pretty decent deals price-wise.
(3)
Kristen C.
I've lived in Peoria for 30 years and I can't count all the times I have passed this place yet I have never went in. First, I can't say enough so fantastic the ladies that run this business are. They couldn't be more helpful for a first timer or nicer! The place was spacious and clean! The buffet looked good although we ordered from the menu. Dumplings were fantastic. Lemongrass chicken was great although I would check into getting noodles next time instead of the white rice. We shared the Phou Naec Bieat soup which was huge and INCREDIBLE! I had some dish that was the small noodles with beef slices and vegtables and that also was FANTASTIC! I will be back and I will also tell everyone about this place! How refreshing to find a place in Peoria that is like this!
(5)
J M.
Best deal in town for this type of food. There is always plenty food per plate and the prices are very reasonable. Food is always warm and great. They have recently (within last year) moved to a new location which can seat even more people. Spicy lemon grass chicken, curry chicken, sweat & sour chicken, beef jerky, crab rangoons are definitely some of my top choices. I would definitely recommend!
(5)
Libby M.
Friday for dinner. Got right in. Decor beautiful. Super clean. Service great. Hubs got buffet. 10.95 Smallish selection but said it all was very tasty. Did not go away hungry. I got ginger stir fry with shrimp 8.95 Delicious. Huge portion. Hubs and I could have split my entree. Crab Rangoon. I like mine sweet and this was less so. Dipped it in my ginger stir fry sauce.. yum. Definitely going back soon.
(5)
Sarah A.
A good restaurant experience needs the sum of good food, good service, and good price matching the quality of food and service. With that rating, this restaurant gets an easy 4 star rating. I was in Peoria for a conference and decided to check this place out cuz I loooove Viet food. I'd heard of the lunch buffet but because of the timing couldn't make it, but was happy to order off the menu. Food: Ordered vermicelli with pork and egg rolls, egg crepe, and seafood fried noodles. My husband and I were both quite impressed with the authenticity of the food here. We were both satisfied with the food. Portions were HUGE so we were very, very happy to take the leftovers home. Seriously, I could have easily gotten two meals out of my dish which is why I had to box it to take back home. Service: Def not good. We had to ask the waitress where we could sit. Food came out without utensils so my husband had to help himself. But, honestly, we didn't mind that much because the price was amazing for what we paid for and the satisfaction of the food. Ambience: Very casual. :) If you are a Viet food fan and are visiting Peoria, I'd say this is not a bad place to dine in. I'd def go back to this restaurant.
(3)
Terry T.
Food was good, but we saw three cockroaches on the walls and floor. It's been five years and I just can't bring myself to go back because all I can think of are those roaches.
(2)
Cody W.
Ever since I moved down to Peoria from from Chicago I've been on the hunt for the best Sushi/Chinese/Vietnamese restaurants around. Unfortunately, there are few if any that deserve 5 stars. Thanh Linh is the best. Easily one of the best deals. Lots of food for the money, and its all delicious. Their fried rice is amazing, lemongrass beef is one of my favorites. Soups are delicous. One of my staple restaurants I order from. Highly recommended.
(5)
Teresa R.
Ordered food to pick up last night. Staff is always friendly and the food is delightful. Favorite is spicy lemongrass chicken :)
(4)
Zach N.
I went to Thanh Linh last Saturday. I live in Bloomington-Normal, where we have NO Vietnamese food. We have some Thai, Japanese, and Chinese, but we've never had Vietnamese, which is a crying shame. Anyways, for my first time at the restaurant, I figured I'd keep it simple. To start, my date and I split the shrimp dumplings. They were perfectly steamed and the shrimp was excellent. The tangy dipping sauce and perfect size of the dumplings made them an ideal appetizer. I got the beef pho. $8 for an absolutely massive bowl, and it wasn't even the biggest on the menu. It was served piping hot, with the requisite tray of bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, peppers, and sauces with which to customize. The best part was that the beef in the soup was actually served up rare. That's how it should be done everywhere, but I think a lot of Vietnamese restaurants shy away from this because American diners are amazingly stupid and might complain. The soup was excellent. Pho is one of my favorite things in the world, and this soup was top-tier. Seriously, it might be Peoria, IL, but good food is good food. The atmosphere is great. It's small and crowded, and the servers expertly bob and weave between tables. It's not too loud though, and you have plenty of room. I will definitely be making the drive back, hopefully for the lunch buffet, which I assume is worth whatever it costs.
(5)
Southside C.
Tonight, I had the Chicken Pho, This pho doesn't compare to the Pho in Chicago on Argyle Street. No taste. A young person brought out my Pho, so he may have been the cook for tonight. I read others, so I probably had the backup cook. The Spring rolls were very good. I am going to get some real pho back in Chicago!
(2)
Jonathan K.
A surprising gem in Peoria; when stuck there on business my co-worker found this place and we noshed out. I even returned at a later date. The portions are well-sized, especially for the money. The food is tasty.
(4)
Lindsay K.
Update - In recent months, it seems that they have added additional servers. With better service,Thanh Linh is officially the greatest!
(5)
Angie K.
What do you get when you take 4 asians of different ethnicities to a Vietnamese restaurant? The correct answer is my most recent trip to Thanh Linh. Having been spoiled our entire lives with delicious asian home cooking, its safe to say that our standards for asian cuisine are fairly high. Happily, Thanh Linh doesn't disappoint. Set in Bradley's pathetic college town consisting of a Subway and La Bamba and a Starbucks (and nothing more), its easy to miss this dinky little joint. For first time visitors, you might even drive right past the half block of restaurants (seriously, Bradley students, where do you eat?). Once you've found your way into the restaurant and sat down with the menu, the hard part is almost over. Deciding what to eat from their extensive menu is a challenge in itself, with a ride range (freudian slip that I'm not omitting) of Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. Really not the worst problem in the world. For those who can't read, the pictures are visually appealing and mouth-watering. My favorites include the shrimp and tofu spring rolls -- their sweet and sour sauce is some of the best I've had --, Pad See Ew (thick rice noodles with Chinese broccoli), spicy lemongrass chicken and the pho. Most of their dishes allow you to choose your preference of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu. Wash it down with the thai iced tea - not the best I've ever had but its really hard to go wrong with condensed milk (amirite?!) and you won't find it elsewhere within a 100 mile radius. As a side note, I saw these two Vietnamese girls eating dumplings at the table next to us today and I fully plan on getting those next time. Since they kept walking in and out of the kitchen, I imagine they have the hookup and know whats up. If I still haven't convinced you of the authenticity of this restaurant and their ability to cheaply satisfy your craving for asian cuisine with delicious msg-laden food, just know that my tiger mom - who has something critical to say about most things I do - insists on dining here every time she's in town. And for that, Thanh Linh, I raise my chopsticks to you.
(5)
Faraaz U.
Your typical lunch type place. Upon entering we were greeted by two separate people, either of them not knowing the other has greeted and was seating us. One of the ladies was the one who watched the buffet lines and kept screaming into a mic different items that were running low, i'm assuming she was talking to the people in the back to restock. The second girl was the actual hostess, she was superb. She seated us right away, came to take our plate, brought us water and checked with us once again. If that girl didn't work here I would have given this place a 1 or 2 star. Food was below average, ambiance was good, hostess service was excellent.
(3)
Tom C.
Love this place - it's great to find authentic Vietnamese in Peoria. Yes, it's a hole-in-the wall that's easily missed from the road (it's on the north side of Main Street across the street from the large strip mall with the large parking lot, just west of an Indian restaurant and Asian grocery store) - you gotta look for that little sign that someone posted a photo of on Yelp!). Very reasonable prices, totally authentic. Go for it!
(4)
Micheal S.
I recommended the Spicy Lemongrass Beef and the Vietnamese Beef Jerky. One order of that is enough to feed two people. This is a fantastic restaurant. The food is great and the staff is excellent. You will not be disappointed.
(5)
Kim B.
This is definitely not authentic Vietnamese food but it'll do for the location. I was in East Peoria traveling for business and was surprised to find there was an Asian restaurant (and grocery store). I ordered the Thai iced tea, egg rolls and pho ga (chicken soup). The tea came in the largest glass I've ever seen before and I drank it all just to get my money's worth. The egg rolls were definitely not Vietnamese. They were more like Filipino lumpia and were served with a side of sweet & sour sauce. Tasty, yes. Vietnamese, no. The pho here was reasonably priced (under $5 for a bowl which is WAY cheaper than you'll find in Chicago) and pretty tasty. The broth wasn't super flavorful but it satisfied my pho craving and came with the usual accompaniments (bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos, lime, etc). My only question is..why can I find a decent Vietnamese restaurant in Peoria but not in Lake County?
(3)
Erica M.
Always good, love the new location (which is next to their older location).
(5)
Amanda H.
"Sorry, we're out of food." As I see food wiz by to a table and a gentleman picking up his order to go.
(1)
Kelly M.
My biggest regret: I never discovered this place in college. The lunch buffet would have been the greatest thing to happen to my college cuisine. It's like $9 for all you can eat Vietnamese, and I can eat a lot. Anyhow, I was in town for the Run River City Marathon relay. My traditional pre-race meal includes pho, and Yelp told me this was the place to get it. So we made our pilgrimage and I ordered the pho with meatballs and sirloin. I didn't realize the meat was placed in the hot broth raw, so I had to stir to get everything cooked together. The food was satisfying and did the trick. The service was also expedient and the prices were great. It gets four stars because from the outside, this place looks super sketch, especially if you park in the back. There was a very unfriendly looking homeless dude hanging out that gave me the heebie jeebies.
(4)
Khanh C.
Being vietnamese, i thought this place did a really good job on the two traditional dishes that i ordered, the pho dac biet (pho with everything) and the cold rolls. The pho's soup flavor is above average even comparing with big city area and they had sufficient types of meat. The cold rolls is similar to how my mother would make it. I would rate it 4.5 stars just cuz i am picky about my viet dishes. It is a gem considering no other viet restaurants around the area
(4)
Jawad Z.
Best food you can have in Peoria IL. Prices are unbelievable and they are really generous with the food. i usually eat half and take the other half home for the next day. Best appetizer in the beef jerky and THE BEST dinner or lunch dish is "SPICY LEMON GRASS CHICKEN" i can eat this dish every single day. I have been there more than a 100 times and i was never disappointed. The staff are very nice and they would change my order to what ever i like (add or remove items).
(5)
Sarah F.
I am so darn close to giving this place 4 stars. The pros -- Most importantly, the food is delicious!!! I am particular about Vietnamese cuisine and Thanh Linh was impressive. The Saturday soup (available only on Saturdays!), spicy lemongrass chicken, bun, and spring rolls were all quite good. The cons -- I expect places to be busy at 7 PM on a Saturday night. They should expect to be busy, too. Things happen and staffing during the holidays might be a factor, but the place looked like swarms of locust and children had tromped through it, taking down half the buffet and throwing cookies all over the floor in its wake. The staff were running around looking visibly stressed and no one was getting their drinks before their food. A couple of people apologized to us and I could tell from the decor that the place usually looked clean and charming. But on this particular night the place was definitely having its ass handed to it as it was so busy. Honestly, though, the tables were not 100% full which means they were running at about capacity. Perhaps this is a case where the restaurant expanded but still can't quite run at full capacity? I was excited to do the dinner buffet but my dining partner and I were sad to see it totally picked over (no appetizers left, one soup barely left, half the main dishes empty). I think this place could be great. And our experience was that aside from a couple disappointments, the service was doing its best and our food was very good. I would go back and give them another shot.
(3)
Don F.
We have had lunch and dinner here now and both were good. The lunch buffet is very nice for a buffet. The beef noodle soup is only average. The broth is not up to the great places we went to out in Westminster, CA. The soups are huge and very tasty. Two of us ate one soup for dinner and was fine. Did not need anything extra.
(4)
Craig C.
Good sized portions for a really reasonable price. I always get (I really mean always. They don't even bring me a menu anymore) the "53". It's their combination pho and in very in love with it. Outstanding broth and quality, fresh ingredients make for a great meal every time for $7.95. Even though I only get the same thing, I've come here with lots of friends that get different things and they're all fantastic. That, topped with a friendly staff, makes this one of my favorite places.
(5)
Morris R.
This might be my favorite restaurant - ever. I moved away from Peoria, to St. Louis, where there are several Vietnamese restaurants, but none of them compare to the food at Than Linh - which is the standard to which I hold them. It's not that Thanh Linh even has the best atmosphere- because it is kind of small and simple (although I think that adds to its charm) - It's just that Thanh Linh has the best, freshest food and the best prices. Two people can share an entree easily and still have leftovers. I recommend the spicy lemongrass chicken, it's my favorite. I also love their curries in the winter when you need something heavier and spicier and creamier. They have the BEST spring rolls and I also like their salads. I like how they always top dishes with very fresh shredded carrots, cucumbers, and herbs. It's a good place.
(5)
Jen B.
My excitement at trying their new location quickly turned to disappointment on a recent weekend visit. The new location is split into two rooms, we sat on the side with the counter as the buffet table side was full. It was a chilly night and cold in the room, we thought from the door opening and closing but it was actually from a vent directly under our table blasting AC??? I put my purse over the vent and that helped but not sure why AC would be on when the temps are in the 50s.... We wanted to order off the menu instead of buffet so it took a about 10 minutes for a server to come over. They were out of Thai coffee and their Coke was completely flat. We place our order and it comes out very quickly. Our rice had 2 large (50% of the container) chunks of semi-burned hard rice - the kind that form in the warmers out at the buffet. I would've walked over there myself to get rice if I knew it was coming from there. The Thai curry that I used to know and love tasted really, really lemony. Like the spicy lemongrass dish. If I had wanted lemons, I would've not ordered the curry. Our other two dishes were good, although the red curry was very watery. Our server never came back by after we got our food, he was stopping at other tables and getting them drink refills but no matter how I worked to catch his eye, he never came over. Finally, he brought the check and we asked for to-go containers. We had to get a bag ourselves at the counter after paying. Overall not a great experience for dining in which is why I was so excited for this expansion!! Back to ordering to-go I guess and hope that my rice is not scraped off the sides of a warmer........
(2)
Darlyn V.
So coming to Peoria from Miami, finding good, or at least decent, restaurants have been quite the challenge. I heard about this place from fellow colleagues at work, but never got around to making a fornal dining visit... however, today all of that changed. To say the least, the food her was ORGASMIC! My wife and I order the chicken fried rice, the spicy lemongrass chicken, and of course, pho gha... the portions were appropriate, albeit we couldn't eat it all, but I downed the pho like a pho gha champion! I definitely recommend this place, and will be frequenting it more often now.
(4)
Saurabh B.
great food new place is even better gives you a nice ambiance too Curry fried rice is awesome. I have been there many times with all kinds of friends. everyone liked the food so far. best thai vietnamese cuisine in peoria. And crave to go there every week.
(5)
Sung P.
Who would've thought that you could have such great vietnamese food in central Illinois? I started coming here because of their great lunch buffet but have found many items off the menu that are also terrific. Some of my personal favorites are the spring rolls, the seafood noodle soup, and the lemongrass chicken. The thing that you definitely don't want to miss though are their eggrolls.
(5)
Isaac S.
Thanh Linh doesn't live up to the lofty standards set by the Vietnamese restaurants I've visited in bigger cities, but it's certainly the best I've had in any less densely populated area. The pho is delicious, served in generous portions, and pretty authentic. The vermicelli salad is also always good. Even the less adventurous should at least try the lemongrass chicken or beef. Stay away from the Chinese buffet style foods - they're not worth your time. I don't understand the reviewer who complained about greasy pho - that's not necessarily a bad thing. He's definitely missing out on things like the bone marrow pho I've had elsewhere...
(4)
Q L.
They moved to a new space, much larger. Still the great quality buffet and dinner is served. Looking forward to going here more often now that the restaurant is bigger and can accommodate many more folks. Again, good, consistent Vietnamese food in the Peoria area. Amazing value!
(5)
Robert S.
Easily one of the best ethnic food restaurants in Peoria. Great food, excellent service, just a bit small to keep up with crowds, which is a good problem to have.
(5)
Nanam Y.
Love their pho! I live in Bloomington and whenever visit Peoria cannot pass this spot. Should try combination pho and their egg roll.
(5)
Meredith E.
I was extremely hungover and needed fried, hot and spicy food, preferably in buffet format. I walked into Thanh Linh and it was complete chaos. People everywhere, 2 servers canvassing the floor, crying babies, and dirty tables. I waited a few minutes before server 1 sat me down at a huge dirty table. After a few more minutes, server 2 came over and cleaned my table, provided clean silverware and suggested the buffet. When I arrived at the buffet, most of the bins were empty. The soup looked and smelled amazing. However, there were no bowls. Server 2 would occasionally run by and toss in more food. By toss, I mean, take a bowl, and toss it into the bin at an incredibly high speed. One of the only foods available was the crab rangoon. HUGE rangoons. Thank God I love them, because I ate a ton. The spring rolls were tasty, but burnt. After 30 minutes of repeated asking for bowls, server 2 came out with 8. I elbowed a few older ladies to get my hand on one. The hot and sour soup was less hot, more sour. It is probably one of the best soups I have ever had! The other dishes on the buffet that eventually came out of the kitchen were in my opinion more Chinese like than Vietnamese. Nothing special. In the future I will get a vat of hot and sour soup and crab rangoons TO GO.
(3)
Wayne K.
THE GOOD: - The shrimp roll appetizer was delicious. - Excellent portion size. I was stuffed. - Definitely feels like a hole-in-a-wall so if you want to impress your friends with an undiscovered gem this place hits the jackpot. - The service was adequate. THE BAD: - I'm from the SF Bay Area where we're spoiled by Asian restaurants so it's probably unfair for me to judge Thanh Linh at all, but the pho was pretty gross. It was overly greasy and the proportions were just way off. About 3 bites in I wanted to stop eating. - There are really awkward glamor shots of the owner's kids up all over the walls. I don't see myself coming back for pho at least.
(2)
Kettle J.
Very good and plenty of food! The best part was watching their face when I ordered my meal in Vietnamese and I'm a white boy!
(4)
Natsumi C.
It may look small and dirty, but the pho is cheap and tasty!
(4)
Brad S.
What a treat for Peoria. Great food at a great price. The service was fast and courteous. I will be back here the next time I am in town.
(4)
Robert K.
First visit I ordered the spicy lemongrass chicken and was very impressed. Very good food and fast service for carry out. I will make this one of my regular carry out spots. Highly recommended!
(5)
Tony H.
Back in my Bradley days, a few buddies and I would get their combo fried rice to go. I was taken aback the very first time when I was hit with a $9 and change price-tag. But once you pick it up, you'll be surprised at how heavy it is. and once you get it home, you'll be utterly delighted at the bounty you've just bought. huge pieces of roast pork, ham, shrimp and chicken in a nicely seasoned , HUGE portion of egg-fried rice. you can seriously use this as an accompanying side dish for four or five meals throughout a week.
(4)
Jason H.
I should update my review. As I was telling my aunt about the first time I found bugs in my food, it happened again. Ugh, and I liked this place.
(1)
Mike H.
In 2007 this restaurant had the best spring rolls I've ever eaten.
(5)
Eriko K.
We sat at the little round table in the front window nook. Competent pho, soup wasn't hot enough but ample crunchy fresh Asian basil, bean sprout and other green herbs. Spring roll was good. We had the crunchy noodle topped with various stir-fried meats and crunchy veggies. Lots of food for economical tab.
(3)
Frank D.
MMMMM!!!!! Was just randomly in Peoria for a day and ate here. We split a bunch of stuff--- Spicy Lemongrass Chicken was as delicious as i remembered it. The pork dumplings did not disappoint - I forgot how good they were. The pho was fantastic as was the pork w/ vermicelli -- although it could have used more pork. Funny that you can't find a menu online. Peoria is still a decade or so behind the times I suppose.
(4)
Zach H.
Went to Bradley for 5 Years. I discovered this place in my 2nd month on campus. Love it, it's not good for your waistline but the food servings are generous, and the prices are fair. This place has some of the best egg rolls and crab rangoons that I have ever tried, and will return here whenever I get the chance to...
(5)
David H.
As a Vietnamese person that has an awesome mom and has lived in Houston, TX, this place is alright. I think people say it's great because it's the only Vietnamese restaurant in Peoria. Fish sauce could be less sour. Typical waiter service for an Asian restaurant. It's good food and it has all the Viet staples. Just not great.
(3)
John T.
This humble, affordable Vietnamese place is as good as anything on Argyle Street in Chicago. The soups are a delicious way to warm up on a cold day.
(5)
Justin M.
I've only been there for lunch, which is a buffet. The buffet has a variety of foods and I liked most of them. This is a small cozy place with limited seating, so come early as it's always busy and full.
(4)
Katy F.
Was traveling on business...thanks to fellow yelpers I found this little joint! Items we tried and LOVED: eggrolls - crisp, some of the best ive had pho - great flavor - offer different sizes crab rangoons - not too much wonton wrapper and lots of great filling! dumplings - steamed and a huge order for 6.50 spicy chicken salad - refreshing and light basil beef - great flavor and crisp veggies Fried rice was decent; nothing spectacular. Place is extremely well priced. Service NOT so great, but the food makes up for it by leaps and bounds. They have a lunch buffet for 7.50 that we didnt get to enjoy, but sounds wonderful! you must go here if you happen to ever be in Peoria:)
(4)
Patti L.
Amazing food. Amazing owner. For a third the cost of highbrow places, Thanh Linh consistently produces amazing comfort food that you can enjoy, reheated, at least for another meal as the portions are gargantuan. Fresh spices and herbs add heat, texture, and complexity to basic Asian recipes. Oh, did I mention that most dishes provide choices that will please locovores, vegans, vegetarians, pescetarians, flexitarians--any "tarian" out there. Enjoy!!!!!
(5)
Mr. Potato G.
Oh Thanh Linh...how I love thee. I happened to dine in this place a few years ago with a buddy and have been hooked since. It is nestled right next to one world cafe' and is a nice secret gem not alot of people have been to. It is amazing food and I love bringing friends here that have never had vietnamese.
(4)
Katy L.
I have tried the pho a couple more times since writing my last review, and it's been much better. It's still a tad more greasy than other pho I've had, but hits the spot when I have a craving- perhaps the difference is that I ordered the bowl without meatballs in it, or maybe I've been in Peoria long enough that my food standards have slightly gone down. I have also tried the dumplings, which I would recommend!
(3)
Jon P.
Love. Lunch buffet is amazing. Pho is pretty decent as well m
(5)
Ketan S.
Very good food! Huge Portions of every order!!!!! We ordered 2 dishes for the three of us and ended up taking half of it home. Tasty as hell!! Good people. Its a little crowded inside, since its not as big a restaurant. But its always busy and full of people. Make sure you get there well before time because, there is always a 5 mins wait atleast. My favorite : Red curry chicken, Thai Iced Coffee.
(5)
DC C.
Depending on what you get here the rating could vary up or down. Been impressed with the portions on my visits, though is this really a good thing when the food is not to your liking? Overall, I think they have pretty good Vietnamese food, much truer to form than the two mutated Chinese restaurants I've been. I've tried the lemon grass pork (actually ordered beef) and egg rolls both good and the stir fried seafood egg noodles which I wouldn't get again. The food taste is average compared to what you'd get in other more ethnic cities. However they do get points for being as authentic as they are in Peoria and food quantity gets an "A'.
(3)
Lewis H.
While this pleasant hole-in-the-wall can never compare with the Pho 79s or Pho Hoas in competitive Vietnamese dining hot-spots such as San Gabriel or Westminster (where your fellow diners are almost entirely ethnic Vietnamese rather than Bradley students and you're lucky to get a menu in English), it provides real Vietnamese cuisine and zing in a convenient central Illinois location. I enjoyed my huge bowl of pho with rare and well done beef, plenty of basil and bean sprouts and jalapenos to add. The big squeeze bottle of Sriracha sauce on hand. Pleasant cha gio with crispy pork inside, though not perhaps as delicately flaky and fragrant as the ultimate cha gio of one's dreams. I wish they had the little drip filter coffee makers with which you can brew your own super thick java at the table then mix it up with ice and condensed milk into a big whopping iced coffee. Still, I'll be back for sure, to try more of the menu items. Furthermore, the price/value relationship at Thanh Linh compares very favorably to certain fancy Vietnamese establishments near the Embarcadero in San Francisco, best left unnamed...and Thanh Linh has free parking in back! Such a deal.
(4)
niccole m.
Oh man this place is delicious. Prices are really good considering the yummy fresh ingredients that you get. The Pad Tai is tasty, as is everything I have tried there. Crab rangoon to die for. The fish sauce...WOW! I could go on and on. SO GOOD. that is all.
(5)
David B.
Have been to Thanh Linh a few times. The food is always is good and the service is also good.
(4)
Boon T.
We have been dining in this restaurant since their establishment (99?). Our favorite is the pho, especially, Saturday Day Soup (#54), although I think it could be more spicy. I've been to other vietnamese restaurants in bigger cities and think this one live up the standard of authentic vietnamese cuisine .
(4)
Sherah B.
This place is top notch. I love Vietnamese food and they do it right here. It's really a little hole in the wall, but they have an awesome lunch buffet! Awesome, I tell you! My mouth is drooling just thinking about their egg rolls and basil stir fry.....yummy in my tummy..
(5)
Jit N.
I'll the keep the review short and sweet. The portions are large (especially the rice dishes), I usually have something left over for a light lunch the next day. The pictured shrimp springs rolls are a must. The food tastes fresh. The menu is standard Vietnamese, it's all good. The selection during the lunch buffet is limited, but the quality is probably better than any other buffet in Peoria. I'm here at least once every two weeks.
(4)
H H.
Basil Chicken is amazing. Everything here looks good and fresh. The shop itself isn't the most appealing appearance-wise, but has great food. Hear they have a good lunch buffet too.
(5)
Minh R.
Take it from a Vietnamese guy that's been eating the stuff his whole life, this place is the next best thing to Mom's home-cooked Vietnamese meals. The spring rolls or egg rolls are a must have appetizer, the spicy lemongrass chicken is also a must, and you can't say you've had Vietnamese until you've had their phô. The atmosphere might not be much but the food is 5 star all the way.
(4)
Spencer S.
Best Vietnamese food I have had outside of Chicago. The lunch buffet was great, especially the ground chicken & basil dish.
(4)
Nancy W.
Taking the restaurant in context -- it's located in a region where Asian restaurants are not common -- it wouldn't be fair to compare it to those found in my town (San Francisco). However, I was so happy to find fresh vegetables cooked crisp-tender, tasty spring rolls, lemongrass and tofu that I came close to hugging our servers. The 'spicy' in the "Spicy Lemongrass Chicken" was on vacation but the flavors were still good. Additionally, there is a fair influx of Chinese influence in the menu. The decor is simple with no particular ambiance, but that doesn't matter. The service is friendly and attentive and the food we ordered was good and reasonably priced. It is located kitty-corner from Bradley University in a store front you might miss if you're not paying attention. I didn't try the Pho, but since I'll be going back before I leave, I will give it a try. If you're in Peoria and you're looking for an alternative to the good Mid-West beef and ubiquitous fried-breaded-stuffed McChain restaurants, give Thanh Linh a try.
(4)
Ashley R.
You get two great meals out of this, because you will always have enough leftovers for lunch the next day. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I tried this, because it doesnt look like much, but I was blown away by the spicy lemongrass chicken. since then ive ordered something different every time and never had a bad meal. The serving staff is very friendly, although I will say service there has always been really slow. but the foods good enough that I keep going back.
(5)
Stephanie S.
We decided not to cook anymore and just order from Thanh Linh every week since their cooking is a lot better than ours! We love everything there, from egg rolls, crab rangoon, to their entree (spicy lemongrass chicken, vietnamese curry, pan fried noodles, thick noodles, stir fried green beans) to their vietnamese coffee. Yum! We are huge fans
(5)
Coolwillz W.
Has a very good taste to price ratio! The food is surprisingly good and they are affordable. I have tried the lunch a few times and the taste seems to be pretty consistent. The service can be slow sometimes but still acceptable. This is one of the few good asian restaurant in peoria.
(5)
Rebecca S.
I've never tried vietnamese food before, so I was a little leary of what it would taste like. We didn't cook dinner and needed somewhere to go that would make take out rather quickly for about 10 people. I was visiting friends and took the chicken soup to go because I had to head back home that night. I ate it for dinner the next night and cooked it with all the fixin's that come separate from the soup [herbs like cilantro and basil, jalepeno, bean sprouts and a wedge of lime] I wasn't sure what to do with them so I threw all of it in the pan with the soup and it was DELISH! There was so much soup in the container, I even had leftovers the next day as well. I would eat that soup every day if they were closer to me. I look forward to Thanh Linh when I visit my friends in Peoria. I'll have to try something else next time and take the soup home again.
(5)
Teresa P.
The service was terrible, the cleanliness was questionable, and the food was ok. The waitress asked us for our order before we had a chance to even open the menu. She came back less than a minute later to ask again. When she came out with our food, she said "Number 49?". My partner and I looked at each other confused, and she preceded to sigh heavily, and then say, "This is yours" and throw the plate down in front of my partner. It then took another 5 minutes for my dish to come out. The other waitress, who eventually brought out my dish, even commented about how polite my partner was to wait so long. At the end of the meal we had to wait 10 minutes before someone came around, and we asked for boxes and the check. 5 minutes later we had to ask again. Regarding the cleanliness, our table had not been properly cleaned, and there was garbage on my bench. Underneath another table were remnants of food. The actual food was mediocre. The menu is not so much Vietnamese as it is Americanized pan-Asian. On another note, the first night we attempted to go here it was closing, but it was not even 9 and a Friday night.
(1)
Paul B.
Fantastic authentic Vietnamese food! My friends and I go there every week for their lunch buffet.
(5)
Brandon B.
Very good!
(4)
Karye S.
I would eat at Thanh Linh every day if I could! My son, mother-in-law and I try to make it to Thanh Linh a few Saturdays a month. They have a special "Saturday" Soup (#54) which is a little spicy, but exceptional. (My son usually eats the milder meatball soup #52). The soup is served with a plate of fresh cilantro, basil, red cabbage, bean sprouts and lime wedges. The spring rolls are excellent. On most week days they have a lunch buffet which my family loves and it seems to be popular with the students and professors at Bradley. The buffet looks good, but I prefer to order off the menu. The atmosphere is extra casual. The prices are reasonable. It's well worth the drive from my north Peoria home to Main Street for their food.
(5)
Nannette P.
I used to eat here almost daily in college during my internship in East Peoria. I had never had Vietnamese food before college and I found this little gem of a restaurant one day while driving to work. I chose the Lemongrass Beef and I never turned back! Being a loyal woman to usually one or two dishes on an menu, I stuck to my Lemongrass Beef with Vietnamese Coffee almost every day for lunch. I now wish I would've explored a bit more on the menu, but to this day, I remember the deliciousness of my Lemongrass Beef dish. And the Vietnamese Coffee is probably some of the strongest coffee that I have had to date. Imagine a huge cup of powerfully strong and robust coffee with heavy sweetened condensed milk to give it a little sweetness. So good!! If you are breezing through P-Town, be sure to stop in and taste this delicious restaurant.
(5)
Ben G.
Start with the curry chicken, and expand from there. Excellent food.
(5)
Sandra L.
Fabulous food, whether it's authentic Vietnamese or not, we wouldn't know the difference having never eaten this type of food before. We go for the Pho and crab rangoon a couple times a week. Have gone for the lunch buffet once and loved the chicken curry over rice. The hot tapioca/banana pudding was interesting and the prices are always soooo cheap. Best ethnic restaurant in Peoria!
(5)
K. T.
Great place, authentic, often hard to get into for lunch, buffet has great selection and is fresh, menu items are also great. Recently remodeled and has a nice decor. You can do quality vegetarian or not if you like. Economical too. Would be 5+ stars if the food was local / organic.
(4)
Sheema K.
As far as ethnic food goes in Peoria, Thanh Linh is excellent and worthy of five stars. Compared to Thai/Vietnamese joints in a larger city, however, I'd only rate it 3.5-4 stars. My favorite dish is Bun Cha (cold rice noodle bowl with bbq chicken, chopped egg roll, fried onions, fresh cilantro/daikon/cucumber/carrot, peanuts, and a sweet & sour fish sauce on top). The standard Thai options (basil chicken, lemongrass chicken, curries, pad thai etc.) are good, but not exceptional. Portions are ENORMOUS - for example, one order of curry could easily feed three people. You will be taking home leftovers. They also have a pretty decent lunch buffet on weekdays, if you can get a seat. If you haven't tried it yet, you are missing out.
(5)
Ben B.
Ordered carry out tonight. Red Curry was very tasty, and spicy! We will order it milder next time, and it could be a tad sweeter. Nevertheless it was very good - enough to split for 2. We are saving the green curry in the fridge for tomorrow.
(4)
Justin S.
Another place that is required Peoria eating. Great pho, great everything. Get a Vietnamese coffee too.
(5)
Jessica B.
Great little local place with really unique dishes. I had the ginger stir fry and my bf had the chicken fried rice -- both were well above the quality level of typical asian grab and go places. The people were nice and the portions were huge! We're sold! :)
(5)
Geoff N.
Wonderful Vietnamese. Their Pho is probably the best I've had in Central Illinois...though not quite as good as the Pho in NYC or Austin (believe it or not). Pretty good buffet for lunch and really good carts food as well. Overall, I'd recommend a stop by- the helpings are generous and the prices are decent. Plenty of parking in the rear lots.
(4)
James B.
Best ethnic food in Peoria and cheap.
(5)
lex s.
steamed dumplings was really good but the spicy lemongrass with tofu tasted like rubber. Coffee was really good. So I am torn as to if I want to go back or not.
(3)
De N.
one of the few people here who can't give it a hight rating. like the posting from Oct 2010, we must have had the same waitress because she was simply awful. we decided she must hate her job. the food was mediocre at best. i won't bother returning.
(1)
allison d.
this place is sooo good. they thave this appetizer "fried platter" thing that i allow myself to gorge on 2 or 3 times a year. The lunch buffet is always the same and delicious. also, try the saturday soup!
(4)
Lesley S.
Everytime I go here I get the Bun-something (it is #41 or 42 I think) with the fish sauce (sounds gross but actually does not taste or smell fishy at all) that you dump on it and it is beyond delicious. It includes ramen type noodles, a cut up egg roll, veggies and meat of choice- I always get BBQ pork. I think my dad started taking us here when I was in high school and it was the first time I experience true Vietnamese food. If you haven't had it, you are definitely missing out. I found a place up in Chicago that serves something very similar but it still isn't quite as good as Thanh Linh. The staff was always incredibly friendly as well and we went every couple of weeks so they knew who we were after a short period of time. When I was home over summer breaks I used to go on my lunch to Thanh Linh and they had a great buffet. They also used to have a cart downtown by the courthouse that I would get BBQ pork fried rice at. Everything I ever tried from there was the best Vietnamese I've ever had.
(5)
Ryan M.
Very good, although I've heard some disturbing things about their health department scores lately. I usually use fried rice and egg rolls as a barometer for asian restaurants, and Thanh Linh's are as good as it gets in Peoria. The #42 is a staple for me, the steamed rice noodles with grilled pork, shredded egg roll, cabbage, and cilantro - very refreshing. They also have a cart in front of the court house when the weather warms up - a good lunch for $5.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Frank C.
Great lunch buffet. Always busy at lunch so arrive early. Lots of really good vegetarian options, which is why I go here often for lunch. They also have a menu with the best Pho in the Peoria area. On Saturdays only, they offer a special Saturday Pho which is excellent. In the mood for something different, try their bubble tea. Very unique. Arriving at 11:00am for lunch you'll have a chance to park in front, otherwise there will be parking behind the building.
(4)Meg L.
I love this place. The food is fresh and amazing. The flavors are vibrant, the prices are low and the portions are huge. I ate off of my green curry for 4 days! Everything I've had there has been an adventure. Try something new! Your won't regret it.
(5)Natalie C.
Love this place! The pho here is just as good (if not better!) as some of the pho I had when I grew up in California near Little Saigon. It's like a little taste of home right here in Peoria. I always get the pho without meat and add vegetables to it. It's definitely a different way of eating pho, but I really enjoy it. I actually initially just asked the waitress to get it with no meat and she suggested to get it with veggies as a substitute and I'm so glad I did. There's really nothing better than a nice warm bowl of pho on a cold day...or really any other day!
(5)Sarah T.
Best pho ever here! Hot, fresh and come with lots of herbs and veggies on the side. Flavor I great and you get a bunch for your money. This is by far my favorite Thai place. Get there early for dinner, because otherwise you will have a wait. This place is well know in the area.
(5)Saalai S.
Good food, Buffet, not very good for vegetarians. They had one vegetarian dish and rice. But al a cart food amazing taste, good presentation. The place is packed most of the time. Obviously because of the good food. Will go here often, but too bad I can only order al a cart. :(.
(4)Annmarie G.
My boyfriend and I went here today because One World Cafe was busy and we didn't want to wait. We ended up being pretty happy with that decision. From the outside, Thanh Linh does not look that impressive, but its interior is - contemporary and clean. I was impressed. The service was a little bit odd however. When we walked in and told the hostess how many were in our party, we followed her to what we thought was going to be our table, only to realize she was helping another group. Whoops. Then, there was an awkward dance between the hostess and one of the waiters about seating us which lasted for a few minutes, but we finally ended up with a booth. To be fair, they were pretty busy, but it was a little funny. I had the Vermicelli w/ chicken which was super tasty. The portion was generous. My boyfriend had the special Saturday beef soup, and that was also very good. I enjoyed this place and would definitely come again next time I am in Peoria.
(4)Terry N.
A solid choice for Vietnamese in Peoria. Being from San Jose, I'm spoiled for choice and quality of Vietnamese food, given the large Vietnamese population out there. So coming out here to Peoria, where there's literally 1 in a 50 mile radius, expectations have to be set accordingly. Let's get the weirdness out of the way- this place has a (mostly panda-express like) lunch buffet, which seems popular with the college kids. Not at all Vietnamese, but hey, this place is hopping, so who am I to judge? The menu looks better, offering Pho, Bun, and rice plate you'd expect from a Vietnamese place. I was happy to see Bun Bo Hue on the menu as well (a spicy beef/pork noodle soup that's one of my favorites), though only offered on Saturdays. I settled on the Bun- GF friendly rice noodle salad with grilled pork and egg rolls with pickled veggies and a sweet fish sauce drizzle. The portion was HUGE. So great value for the money. Quite tasty as well. All in all, this place is busy (good sign), with huge portions at a decent price, and efficient service. If you've gotta get your Vietnamese on in Peoria, it's not a bad choice!
(4)Kollet K.
Every time I go out of town I look for Vietnamese food and it never comes close to comparing. This is THE BEST FOOD, hands down! I love the thick rice noodles and spicy lemongrass chicken so much I never know what to order.... So I do both / servings are large and leftovers are abundant and good the second day too!!
(5)Mark S.
Some of the best food in Peoria! Basil chicken rocks the house! The Thai tea is cold and refreshing. Spring rolls are top.
(5)Jennifer J.
Consistently the best food in town. Love the buffet, but also love getting the green curry for take out.
(5)Michael M.
I have lived in San Francisco and Oakland, this place is not a far cry from the restaurants in the Bay Area. Matter of fact this restaurant is much cleaner than those. The food came out quick and it was prepared perfect. The only reason I'm holding back a star is because I've not tried the buffet. I wish I had known about this place sooner, it's worth the drive from Bloomington.
(4)Jake W.
Best Asian food in the Peoria area - hands down. Great lunch buffet if you are in a hurry during the week. They (usually)have great pho which is next to impossible to find outside a large city. They have lots of great dishes some are less Americanized... While others are more (easy for us to find something for the kids too) It is usually crowded & noisy, and the restrooms are about what you might expect in a gas station (avoid).
(4)Dale T.
This is my "go to" place when I can't decide where to eat. Always reliably good. Saturday soup is a religious experience.
(5)Jessica C.
Best pho in Peoria (although can't compare to Tank Noodles in Viet-town/uptown/chicago). Actually, best Asian restaurant in all of peoria! Maybe the other best Asian restaurant is Rasoi Indian up north. My other favorite dish is green curry--which is ironically spicier than red curry and very delicious. All of their portions are great! My roomate and I do take out from here all the time but I wouldn't recommend doing pho take out since it's much much better eaten in the restaurant. I introduced her to pho here and she loves it. Be sure to add sriracha and hoisin and all the veges. Their viet iced coffee is also delicious. Their buffets are really well priced for about 10 main dishes and 6 appetizer type dishes during the lunch buffet. Not sure about dinner buffet. Overall, a really great place!
(5)Joe B.
Been on and off going here for years, but when they remodeled and expanded, the place picked up and so did the crowd. Liked the buffet originally, but now I order off the menu only. Much better quality ordering off of the menu. Atmosphere: Front windows brighten the place during the day, well planned and easy to move around. Simple decor and isn't too noisy. Service: When empty, the service is excellent! If its pretty crowded, your table will get constant attention but due to the size of the restaurant the staff can get a little backed up. Still, food comes up fast, well plated, and they have never forgotten anything. Food: Buffet doesn't change much, but still decent. Selection is limited. Menu items have been excellent so far. Spring rolls are delicious and filling, and taste fresh. The chicken vermicelli bowl is an authentic Vietnamese dish and Thanh Linh definitely does it well. Soups are quite flavorful. Spicy Lemongrass entrees are pretty interesting too. Research Vietnamese cuisine/dishes and choose something off of the menu that seems interesting. Don't fall for the "general asian" dishes, my guess is that they are menu fillers.
(4)Allison F.
I LOVED my green curry and spring rolls. The food was authentic and--more importantly--delicious. Thanh Linh is hands down the best food in the neighborhood.
(4)Jennie C.
Excellent pho & humongous portions for the price. Spring rolls were great too. No complaints!
(4)Nick S.
Tons of great, authentic (to my knowledge at least) :) and delicious stuff here! My current favorite is the "Beef noodle soup." (I think it's #51 on the menu?) It's medium rare beef in a delicious broth with veggies, noodles, and cilantro. I get the small bowl for lunch and can barely finish it. It's huge. Great place to eat!
(5)Nestor P.
Beware of this restaurant. After a tiring day of test driving a few cars at a nearby car dealer, wife and I decided to find a restaurant along University Ave. We have eaten in this restaurant in the past and food has been good and service was ok. But on this particular night, after being seated , it took the waitress more than 15 minutes just to take our order although there was hardly any customers seated at the tables. There was however several people waiting in line to pay their bill. I let the waitress know my irritation at having to wait so long before our orders were even entertained. Our food orders came promptly however and the food good. We ordered a takeout of fresh rice paper rolls for our kids. But when we got home and the kids tried to take a bite, the food smelled horrible and seemed not fresh at all. Ended up throwing the whole order in the trash. I will probably not go back to this establishment. Advice to those planning to take out food from this place, check your orders before you decide to take it home. Take a quick look and even smell it. These simple steps will take only a few minutes and save you trouble and possible food poisoning later.
(1)Chris K.
If you visit, you must try their won ton soup. It is pretty amazing and there is enough for two plus left overs for lunch the next day. I also highly suggest trying the green beans. Steamed just enough to heat, yet stay crispy and wonderful flavor. You won't be able to stop until you eat the entire plate of them. The only thing that would make the experience better, would be to have beer or wine available.
(4)Jason G.
Lemongrass chicken is good and egg rolls are great as well. The food comes out quick and is smoking hot. The staff is very polite and provide great service.
(3)Chris J.
Drove from Bloomington to try this out - and I wasn't disappointed. I'm a big fan of Vietnamese food - and I really enjoyed Thanh Linh. I had: - vermicelli with pork and egg rolls (it was very good) - chicken egg roll - Lime drink I enjoyed everything - will definitely be back
(4)He And She I.
We were at the Staybridge for a concert at the Civic Center, and wanted to pick up something quick, cheap and healthy, so I called Thanh Linh. Twenty minutes later we were digging into our hot delicious meal. He had pork chop over rice, with shrimp and fried egg, and I, of course, had chicken pho. The vegetables were crisp and fresh, the pho mixings were packed separately, and it was just what we needed. I would have given the restaurant more stars for an online menu and a bigger sign for us out-of-towers, so I wouldn't have to drive down an alley or park at Jimmy's John's.
(3)Hannah H.
I always order the grilled Vietnamese-spiced porkchop which came with 3 pieces of grilled shrimp. This all came on top of white rice with a side of pickled cucumbers and a bowl of fish sauce. The porkchop is juicy and had the right amount of seasoning - not too salty and not too bland - a unique blend of ingredients. I believe this is the best Vietnamese style porkchop I've had so far. The shrimp itself were your typical grilled shrimp. The rice was fine. All in all, when you pour all the fish sauce over, it was a satisfying meal. I believe it was one of the better meals you can have in Peoria. The staff are also friendly, and a great place where you call and pick up your order to go. Prices are reasonable and it's a good authentic place to try. +Vietnamese-spiced porkchop +great combo meals :D
(5)Jane Y.
the pho here is FANTASTIC. GO GET SOME NAOOOO. GO GO GO! hahaha but really mine was so big and had TONS OF MEAT THANK YOU. seriously loveloveloved it the broth was tastey the meat cooked just perfectly tender the noodles such a lovely chewy texture i need to stop writing this review so i can go get some more.. only they're not opened cause its too late right now.. booooo but really, love this place, the servers are great! and the owner is so kind and sweet! they have a cart in downtown (which unfortunately does not serve pho! that would be crazy though.. crazy hard mayn) their other entrees and food are pretty good. i love getting their stir fried beans!
(5)John S.
I give this place 5 stars. To start with the establishment is clean and the service is fast and friendly. Next, the food. I had the Spicy lemongrass chicken and let me tell you it was amazing. It costed 8.99 for a gigantic portion. I have a huge appetite and I ate half of it and took the other half home. Highly recommend if you are in the Bradley area to try out this place.
(5)Rachel V.
Looks a little run down outside but pleasant, clean and up to date inside with excellent service and great food. Really enjoyed the spring rolls and the portion sizes are enormous. Next time we will share one entree with appetizer. Good deal for good and authentic food. Good menu variety including plenty of vegetarian options. Will definitely go back.
(5)J. A.
Very tasty. The lunch buffet had good variety. The vegetable dishes, chicken curry, and ground chicken basil were all delicious. The Bun was not the best, but pretty good. Service was friendly.
(4)Dawn S.
Atmosphere good, busy place. I ordered red curry and it was okay, very few veggies and way too big of a portion so loads of "broth" and tofu but maybe 5 small veggies. The taste was pretty good although she told us it was very spicy and it was not spicy at all. About the same with the green curry. Some of the soups looked good with a side plate of fresh veggies to add. I would return if I have to come back to Peoria in future but maybe would just change order. It really deserves it 3.5 but hate to round down :)
(4)Gabriela G.
Excellent quality of food. Family style service. Hearty portions- $8 dishes big enough to share. Cheesy Christmas music the waitress quietly hums along to. Clean establishment- plenty of seating- good use of space. Free Parking. Fast fast service! Plenty of saracha to go around!
(5)Rebecca B.
this is probably my favorite restaurant in peoria. they do vietnamese food right. my go-to is the pork vermicelli bowl. if you haven't tried this, you should. tons of flavor, super fresh, and really light tasting despite being a noodle dish. the portion (like all of their portions) is huge! i'm also a fan of their spicy lemongrass chicken, grilled lemongrass chicken, crab rangoons & egg rolls. i keep wanting to branch out and try more, but I love my "usual" too much, haha. their 11am - 2pm lunch buffet is a great deal, and the spicy lemongrass chicken they serve on the buffet is different and better than if you order it to go. i think they slow cook the buffet chicken and it literally melts in your mouth. tanh linh is hands down one of the best things peoria has to offer. go there and have a better day.
(5)Bob R.
Good but only slightly better than OK. Arrived at 1:30 to be told the buffet goes until 2:00 but won't be restocked. Most items were 50% left so we decided to order from the menu. The food was unremarkable. All lacked a depth of flavor... main flavors OK but nothing beyond the first tastes. The seafood pho was OK with a bit of thin sliced pork, a couple shrimp, some imitation crab stix and some chewy squid?. The stir fried chicken noodles had a singular level of flavor. The sweet and sour chicken was hot and batter coated with the traditional neon red S&S sauce. Never received the spring rolls we ordered. Service adequate but not attentive. Overall, I will wait for somewhere else to enjoy Vietnamese.
(3)Lucy W.
Very flavorful food for a good price, I'm a huge fan! My most recent trip, I went on a Saturday and had their special Saturday Noodle Soup for the first time and was not disappointed. It was savory and spicy (but not too spicy), a great broth. The noodles were a delicious thick, round noodle with an excellent texture and the beef slices were tender and juicy. Their portions are very generous, even a small can satiate your hunger. Other great items on their menu that are foolproof are their Pork & Shrimp Spring Rolls and Combination Beef Noodle Soup.
(5)Joy K.
This is my favorite restaurant to eat at. You have to try the beef jerky I totally recommend it! It's epic!!!!!! The spices are really yummy and there is never to much or to little. The chicken noodle soup is amazing!!!! The prices are perfectly affordable!$
(5)Charles C.
Definitely good stuff, and the new building is very nice. Also, pretty decent deals price-wise.
(3)Kristen C.
I've lived in Peoria for 30 years and I can't count all the times I have passed this place yet I have never went in. First, I can't say enough so fantastic the ladies that run this business are. They couldn't be more helpful for a first timer or nicer! The place was spacious and clean! The buffet looked good although we ordered from the menu. Dumplings were fantastic. Lemongrass chicken was great although I would check into getting noodles next time instead of the white rice. We shared the Phou Naec Bieat soup which was huge and INCREDIBLE! I had some dish that was the small noodles with beef slices and vegtables and that also was FANTASTIC! I will be back and I will also tell everyone about this place! How refreshing to find a place in Peoria that is like this!
(5)J M.
Best deal in town for this type of food. There is always plenty food per plate and the prices are very reasonable. Food is always warm and great. They have recently (within last year) moved to a new location which can seat even more people. Spicy lemon grass chicken, curry chicken, sweat & sour chicken, beef jerky, crab rangoons are definitely some of my top choices. I would definitely recommend!
(5)Libby M.
Friday for dinner. Got right in. Decor beautiful. Super clean. Service great. Hubs got buffet. 10.95 Smallish selection but said it all was very tasty. Did not go away hungry. I got ginger stir fry with shrimp 8.95 Delicious. Huge portion. Hubs and I could have split my entree. Crab Rangoon. I like mine sweet and this was less so. Dipped it in my ginger stir fry sauce.. yum. Definitely going back soon.
(5)Sarah A.
A good restaurant experience needs the sum of good food, good service, and good price matching the quality of food and service. With that rating, this restaurant gets an easy 4 star rating. I was in Peoria for a conference and decided to check this place out cuz I loooove Viet food. I'd heard of the lunch buffet but because of the timing couldn't make it, but was happy to order off the menu. Food: Ordered vermicelli with pork and egg rolls, egg crepe, and seafood fried noodles. My husband and I were both quite impressed with the authenticity of the food here. We were both satisfied with the food. Portions were HUGE so we were very, very happy to take the leftovers home. Seriously, I could have easily gotten two meals out of my dish which is why I had to box it to take back home. Service: Def not good. We had to ask the waitress where we could sit. Food came out without utensils so my husband had to help himself. But, honestly, we didn't mind that much because the price was amazing for what we paid for and the satisfaction of the food. Ambience: Very casual. :) If you are a Viet food fan and are visiting Peoria, I'd say this is not a bad place to dine in. I'd def go back to this restaurant.
(3)Terry T.
Food was good, but we saw three cockroaches on the walls and floor. It's been five years and I just can't bring myself to go back because all I can think of are those roaches.
(2)Cody W.
Ever since I moved down to Peoria from from Chicago I've been on the hunt for the best Sushi/Chinese/Vietnamese restaurants around. Unfortunately, there are few if any that deserve 5 stars. Thanh Linh is the best. Easily one of the best deals. Lots of food for the money, and its all delicious. Their fried rice is amazing, lemongrass beef is one of my favorites. Soups are delicous. One of my staple restaurants I order from. Highly recommended.
(5)Teresa R.
Ordered food to pick up last night. Staff is always friendly and the food is delightful. Favorite is spicy lemongrass chicken :)
(4)Zach N.
I went to Thanh Linh last Saturday. I live in Bloomington-Normal, where we have NO Vietnamese food. We have some Thai, Japanese, and Chinese, but we've never had Vietnamese, which is a crying shame. Anyways, for my first time at the restaurant, I figured I'd keep it simple. To start, my date and I split the shrimp dumplings. They were perfectly steamed and the shrimp was excellent. The tangy dipping sauce and perfect size of the dumplings made them an ideal appetizer. I got the beef pho. $8 for an absolutely massive bowl, and it wasn't even the biggest on the menu. It was served piping hot, with the requisite tray of bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, peppers, and sauces with which to customize. The best part was that the beef in the soup was actually served up rare. That's how it should be done everywhere, but I think a lot of Vietnamese restaurants shy away from this because American diners are amazingly stupid and might complain. The soup was excellent. Pho is one of my favorite things in the world, and this soup was top-tier. Seriously, it might be Peoria, IL, but good food is good food. The atmosphere is great. It's small and crowded, and the servers expertly bob and weave between tables. It's not too loud though, and you have plenty of room. I will definitely be making the drive back, hopefully for the lunch buffet, which I assume is worth whatever it costs.
(5)Southside C.
Tonight, I had the Chicken Pho, This pho doesn't compare to the Pho in Chicago on Argyle Street. No taste. A young person brought out my Pho, so he may have been the cook for tonight. I read others, so I probably had the backup cook. The Spring rolls were very good. I am going to get some real pho back in Chicago!
(2)Jonathan K.
A surprising gem in Peoria; when stuck there on business my co-worker found this place and we noshed out. I even returned at a later date. The portions are well-sized, especially for the money. The food is tasty.
(4)Lindsay K.
Update - In recent months, it seems that they have added additional servers. With better service,Thanh Linh is officially the greatest!
(5)Angie K.
What do you get when you take 4 asians of different ethnicities to a Vietnamese restaurant? The correct answer is my most recent trip to Thanh Linh. Having been spoiled our entire lives with delicious asian home cooking, its safe to say that our standards for asian cuisine are fairly high. Happily, Thanh Linh doesn't disappoint. Set in Bradley's pathetic college town consisting of a Subway and La Bamba and a Starbucks (and nothing more), its easy to miss this dinky little joint. For first time visitors, you might even drive right past the half block of restaurants (seriously, Bradley students, where do you eat?). Once you've found your way into the restaurant and sat down with the menu, the hard part is almost over. Deciding what to eat from their extensive menu is a challenge in itself, with a ride range (freudian slip that I'm not omitting) of Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese dishes. Really not the worst problem in the world. For those who can't read, the pictures are visually appealing and mouth-watering. My favorites include the shrimp and tofu spring rolls -- their sweet and sour sauce is some of the best I've had --, Pad See Ew (thick rice noodles with Chinese broccoli), spicy lemongrass chicken and the pho. Most of their dishes allow you to choose your preference of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or tofu. Wash it down with the thai iced tea - not the best I've ever had but its really hard to go wrong with condensed milk (amirite?!) and you won't find it elsewhere within a 100 mile radius. As a side note, I saw these two Vietnamese girls eating dumplings at the table next to us today and I fully plan on getting those next time. Since they kept walking in and out of the kitchen, I imagine they have the hookup and know whats up. If I still haven't convinced you of the authenticity of this restaurant and their ability to cheaply satisfy your craving for asian cuisine with delicious msg-laden food, just know that my tiger mom - who has something critical to say about most things I do - insists on dining here every time she's in town. And for that, Thanh Linh, I raise my chopsticks to you.
(5)Faraaz U.
Your typical lunch type place. Upon entering we were greeted by two separate people, either of them not knowing the other has greeted and was seating us. One of the ladies was the one who watched the buffet lines and kept screaming into a mic different items that were running low, i'm assuming she was talking to the people in the back to restock. The second girl was the actual hostess, she was superb. She seated us right away, came to take our plate, brought us water and checked with us once again. If that girl didn't work here I would have given this place a 1 or 2 star. Food was below average, ambiance was good, hostess service was excellent.
(3)Tom C.
Love this place - it's great to find authentic Vietnamese in Peoria. Yes, it's a hole-in-the wall that's easily missed from the road (it's on the north side of Main Street across the street from the large strip mall with the large parking lot, just west of an Indian restaurant and Asian grocery store) - you gotta look for that little sign that someone posted a photo of on Yelp!). Very reasonable prices, totally authentic. Go for it!
(4)Micheal S.
I recommended the Spicy Lemongrass Beef and the Vietnamese Beef Jerky. One order of that is enough to feed two people. This is a fantastic restaurant. The food is great and the staff is excellent. You will not be disappointed.
(5)Kim B.
This is definitely not authentic Vietnamese food but it'll do for the location. I was in East Peoria traveling for business and was surprised to find there was an Asian restaurant (and grocery store). I ordered the Thai iced tea, egg rolls and pho ga (chicken soup). The tea came in the largest glass I've ever seen before and I drank it all just to get my money's worth. The egg rolls were definitely not Vietnamese. They were more like Filipino lumpia and were served with a side of sweet & sour sauce. Tasty, yes. Vietnamese, no. The pho here was reasonably priced (under $5 for a bowl which is WAY cheaper than you'll find in Chicago) and pretty tasty. The broth wasn't super flavorful but it satisfied my pho craving and came with the usual accompaniments (bean sprouts, basil, jalapenos, lime, etc). My only question is..why can I find a decent Vietnamese restaurant in Peoria but not in Lake County?
(3)Erica M.
Always good, love the new location (which is next to their older location).
(5)Amanda H.
"Sorry, we're out of food." As I see food wiz by to a table and a gentleman picking up his order to go.
(1)Kelly M.
My biggest regret: I never discovered this place in college. The lunch buffet would have been the greatest thing to happen to my college cuisine. It's like $9 for all you can eat Vietnamese, and I can eat a lot. Anyhow, I was in town for the Run River City Marathon relay. My traditional pre-race meal includes pho, and Yelp told me this was the place to get it. So we made our pilgrimage and I ordered the pho with meatballs and sirloin. I didn't realize the meat was placed in the hot broth raw, so I had to stir to get everything cooked together. The food was satisfying and did the trick. The service was also expedient and the prices were great. It gets four stars because from the outside, this place looks super sketch, especially if you park in the back. There was a very unfriendly looking homeless dude hanging out that gave me the heebie jeebies.
(4)Khanh C.
Being vietnamese, i thought this place did a really good job on the two traditional dishes that i ordered, the pho dac biet (pho with everything) and the cold rolls. The pho's soup flavor is above average even comparing with big city area and they had sufficient types of meat. The cold rolls is similar to how my mother would make it. I would rate it 4.5 stars just cuz i am picky about my viet dishes. It is a gem considering no other viet restaurants around the area
(4)Jawad Z.
Best food you can have in Peoria IL. Prices are unbelievable and they are really generous with the food. i usually eat half and take the other half home for the next day. Best appetizer in the beef jerky and THE BEST dinner or lunch dish is "SPICY LEMON GRASS CHICKEN" i can eat this dish every single day. I have been there more than a 100 times and i was never disappointed. The staff are very nice and they would change my order to what ever i like (add or remove items).
(5)Sarah F.
I am so darn close to giving this place 4 stars. The pros -- Most importantly, the food is delicious!!! I am particular about Vietnamese cuisine and Thanh Linh was impressive. The Saturday soup (available only on Saturdays!), spicy lemongrass chicken, bun, and spring rolls were all quite good. The cons -- I expect places to be busy at 7 PM on a Saturday night. They should expect to be busy, too. Things happen and staffing during the holidays might be a factor, but the place looked like swarms of locust and children had tromped through it, taking down half the buffet and throwing cookies all over the floor in its wake. The staff were running around looking visibly stressed and no one was getting their drinks before their food. A couple of people apologized to us and I could tell from the decor that the place usually looked clean and charming. But on this particular night the place was definitely having its ass handed to it as it was so busy. Honestly, though, the tables were not 100% full which means they were running at about capacity. Perhaps this is a case where the restaurant expanded but still can't quite run at full capacity? I was excited to do the dinner buffet but my dining partner and I were sad to see it totally picked over (no appetizers left, one soup barely left, half the main dishes empty). I think this place could be great. And our experience was that aside from a couple disappointments, the service was doing its best and our food was very good. I would go back and give them another shot.
(3)Don F.
We have had lunch and dinner here now and both were good. The lunch buffet is very nice for a buffet. The beef noodle soup is only average. The broth is not up to the great places we went to out in Westminster, CA. The soups are huge and very tasty. Two of us ate one soup for dinner and was fine. Did not need anything extra.
(4)Craig C.
Good sized portions for a really reasonable price. I always get (I really mean always. They don't even bring me a menu anymore) the "53". It's their combination pho and in very in love with it. Outstanding broth and quality, fresh ingredients make for a great meal every time for $7.95. Even though I only get the same thing, I've come here with lots of friends that get different things and they're all fantastic. That, topped with a friendly staff, makes this one of my favorite places.
(5)Morris R.
This might be my favorite restaurant - ever. I moved away from Peoria, to St. Louis, where there are several Vietnamese restaurants, but none of them compare to the food at Than Linh - which is the standard to which I hold them. It's not that Thanh Linh even has the best atmosphere- because it is kind of small and simple (although I think that adds to its charm) - It's just that Thanh Linh has the best, freshest food and the best prices. Two people can share an entree easily and still have leftovers. I recommend the spicy lemongrass chicken, it's my favorite. I also love their curries in the winter when you need something heavier and spicier and creamier. They have the BEST spring rolls and I also like their salads. I like how they always top dishes with very fresh shredded carrots, cucumbers, and herbs. It's a good place.
(5)Jen B.
My excitement at trying their new location quickly turned to disappointment on a recent weekend visit. The new location is split into two rooms, we sat on the side with the counter as the buffet table side was full. It was a chilly night and cold in the room, we thought from the door opening and closing but it was actually from a vent directly under our table blasting AC??? I put my purse over the vent and that helped but not sure why AC would be on when the temps are in the 50s.... We wanted to order off the menu instead of buffet so it took a about 10 minutes for a server to come over. They were out of Thai coffee and their Coke was completely flat. We place our order and it comes out very quickly. Our rice had 2 large (50% of the container) chunks of semi-burned hard rice - the kind that form in the warmers out at the buffet. I would've walked over there myself to get rice if I knew it was coming from there. The Thai curry that I used to know and love tasted really, really lemony. Like the spicy lemongrass dish. If I had wanted lemons, I would've not ordered the curry. Our other two dishes were good, although the red curry was very watery. Our server never came back by after we got our food, he was stopping at other tables and getting them drink refills but no matter how I worked to catch his eye, he never came over. Finally, he brought the check and we asked for to-go containers. We had to get a bag ourselves at the counter after paying. Overall not a great experience for dining in which is why I was so excited for this expansion!! Back to ordering to-go I guess and hope that my rice is not scraped off the sides of a warmer........
(2)Darlyn V.
So coming to Peoria from Miami, finding good, or at least decent, restaurants have been quite the challenge. I heard about this place from fellow colleagues at work, but never got around to making a fornal dining visit... however, today all of that changed. To say the least, the food her was ORGASMIC! My wife and I order the chicken fried rice, the spicy lemongrass chicken, and of course, pho gha... the portions were appropriate, albeit we couldn't eat it all, but I downed the pho like a pho gha champion! I definitely recommend this place, and will be frequenting it more often now.
(4)Saurabh B.
great food new place is even better gives you a nice ambiance too Curry fried rice is awesome. I have been there many times with all kinds of friends. everyone liked the food so far. best thai vietnamese cuisine in peoria. And crave to go there every week.
(5)Sung P.
Who would've thought that you could have such great vietnamese food in central Illinois? I started coming here because of their great lunch buffet but have found many items off the menu that are also terrific. Some of my personal favorites are the spring rolls, the seafood noodle soup, and the lemongrass chicken. The thing that you definitely don't want to miss though are their eggrolls.
(5)Isaac S.
Thanh Linh doesn't live up to the lofty standards set by the Vietnamese restaurants I've visited in bigger cities, but it's certainly the best I've had in any less densely populated area. The pho is delicious, served in generous portions, and pretty authentic. The vermicelli salad is also always good. Even the less adventurous should at least try the lemongrass chicken or beef. Stay away from the Chinese buffet style foods - they're not worth your time. I don't understand the reviewer who complained about greasy pho - that's not necessarily a bad thing. He's definitely missing out on things like the bone marrow pho I've had elsewhere...
(4)Q L.
They moved to a new space, much larger. Still the great quality buffet and dinner is served. Looking forward to going here more often now that the restaurant is bigger and can accommodate many more folks. Again, good, consistent Vietnamese food in the Peoria area. Amazing value!
(5)Robert S.
Easily one of the best ethnic food restaurants in Peoria. Great food, excellent service, just a bit small to keep up with crowds, which is a good problem to have.
(5)Nanam Y.
Love their pho! I live in Bloomington and whenever visit Peoria cannot pass this spot. Should try combination pho and their egg roll.
(5)Meredith E.
I was extremely hungover and needed fried, hot and spicy food, preferably in buffet format. I walked into Thanh Linh and it was complete chaos. People everywhere, 2 servers canvassing the floor, crying babies, and dirty tables. I waited a few minutes before server 1 sat me down at a huge dirty table. After a few more minutes, server 2 came over and cleaned my table, provided clean silverware and suggested the buffet. When I arrived at the buffet, most of the bins were empty. The soup looked and smelled amazing. However, there were no bowls. Server 2 would occasionally run by and toss in more food. By toss, I mean, take a bowl, and toss it into the bin at an incredibly high speed. One of the only foods available was the crab rangoon. HUGE rangoons. Thank God I love them, because I ate a ton. The spring rolls were tasty, but burnt. After 30 minutes of repeated asking for bowls, server 2 came out with 8. I elbowed a few older ladies to get my hand on one. The hot and sour soup was less hot, more sour. It is probably one of the best soups I have ever had! The other dishes on the buffet that eventually came out of the kitchen were in my opinion more Chinese like than Vietnamese. Nothing special. In the future I will get a vat of hot and sour soup and crab rangoons TO GO.
(3)Wayne K.
THE GOOD: - The shrimp roll appetizer was delicious. - Excellent portion size. I was stuffed. - Definitely feels like a hole-in-a-wall so if you want to impress your friends with an undiscovered gem this place hits the jackpot. - The service was adequate. THE BAD: - I'm from the SF Bay Area where we're spoiled by Asian restaurants so it's probably unfair for me to judge Thanh Linh at all, but the pho was pretty gross. It was overly greasy and the proportions were just way off. About 3 bites in I wanted to stop eating. - There are really awkward glamor shots of the owner's kids up all over the walls. I don't see myself coming back for pho at least.
(2)Kettle J.
Very good and plenty of food! The best part was watching their face when I ordered my meal in Vietnamese and I'm a white boy!
(4)Natsumi C.
It may look small and dirty, but the pho is cheap and tasty!
(4)Brad S.
What a treat for Peoria. Great food at a great price. The service was fast and courteous. I will be back here the next time I am in town.
(4)Robert K.
First visit I ordered the spicy lemongrass chicken and was very impressed. Very good food and fast service for carry out. I will make this one of my regular carry out spots. Highly recommended!
(5)Tony H.
Back in my Bradley days, a few buddies and I would get their combo fried rice to go. I was taken aback the very first time when I was hit with a $9 and change price-tag. But once you pick it up, you'll be surprised at how heavy it is. and once you get it home, you'll be utterly delighted at the bounty you've just bought. huge pieces of roast pork, ham, shrimp and chicken in a nicely seasoned , HUGE portion of egg-fried rice. you can seriously use this as an accompanying side dish for four or five meals throughout a week.
(4)Jason H.
I should update my review. As I was telling my aunt about the first time I found bugs in my food, it happened again. Ugh, and I liked this place.
(1)Mike H.
In 2007 this restaurant had the best spring rolls I've ever eaten.
(5)Eriko K.
We sat at the little round table in the front window nook. Competent pho, soup wasn't hot enough but ample crunchy fresh Asian basil, bean sprout and other green herbs. Spring roll was good. We had the crunchy noodle topped with various stir-fried meats and crunchy veggies. Lots of food for economical tab.
(3)Frank D.
MMMMM!!!!! Was just randomly in Peoria for a day and ate here. We split a bunch of stuff--- Spicy Lemongrass Chicken was as delicious as i remembered it. The pork dumplings did not disappoint - I forgot how good they were. The pho was fantastic as was the pork w/ vermicelli -- although it could have used more pork. Funny that you can't find a menu online. Peoria is still a decade or so behind the times I suppose.
(4)Zach H.
Went to Bradley for 5 Years. I discovered this place in my 2nd month on campus. Love it, it's not good for your waistline but the food servings are generous, and the prices are fair. This place has some of the best egg rolls and crab rangoons that I have ever tried, and will return here whenever I get the chance to...
(5)David H.
As a Vietnamese person that has an awesome mom and has lived in Houston, TX, this place is alright. I think people say it's great because it's the only Vietnamese restaurant in Peoria. Fish sauce could be less sour. Typical waiter service for an Asian restaurant. It's good food and it has all the Viet staples. Just not great.
(3)John T.
This humble, affordable Vietnamese place is as good as anything on Argyle Street in Chicago. The soups are a delicious way to warm up on a cold day.
(5)Justin M.
I've only been there for lunch, which is a buffet. The buffet has a variety of foods and I liked most of them. This is a small cozy place with limited seating, so come early as it's always busy and full.
(4)Katy F.
Was traveling on business...thanks to fellow yelpers I found this little joint! Items we tried and LOVED: eggrolls - crisp, some of the best ive had pho - great flavor - offer different sizes crab rangoons - not too much wonton wrapper and lots of great filling! dumplings - steamed and a huge order for 6.50 spicy chicken salad - refreshing and light basil beef - great flavor and crisp veggies Fried rice was decent; nothing spectacular. Place is extremely well priced. Service NOT so great, but the food makes up for it by leaps and bounds. They have a lunch buffet for 7.50 that we didnt get to enjoy, but sounds wonderful! you must go here if you happen to ever be in Peoria:)
(4)Patti L.
Amazing food. Amazing owner. For a third the cost of highbrow places, Thanh Linh consistently produces amazing comfort food that you can enjoy, reheated, at least for another meal as the portions are gargantuan. Fresh spices and herbs add heat, texture, and complexity to basic Asian recipes. Oh, did I mention that most dishes provide choices that will please locovores, vegans, vegetarians, pescetarians, flexitarians--any "tarian" out there. Enjoy!!!!!
(5)Mr. Potato G.
Oh Thanh Linh...how I love thee. I happened to dine in this place a few years ago with a buddy and have been hooked since. It is nestled right next to one world cafe' and is a nice secret gem not alot of people have been to. It is amazing food and I love bringing friends here that have never had vietnamese.
(4)Katy L.
I have tried the pho a couple more times since writing my last review, and it's been much better. It's still a tad more greasy than other pho I've had, but hits the spot when I have a craving- perhaps the difference is that I ordered the bowl without meatballs in it, or maybe I've been in Peoria long enough that my food standards have slightly gone down. I have also tried the dumplings, which I would recommend!
(3)Jon P.
Love. Lunch buffet is amazing. Pho is pretty decent as well m
(5)Ketan S.
Very good food! Huge Portions of every order!!!!! We ordered 2 dishes for the three of us and ended up taking half of it home. Tasty as hell!! Good people. Its a little crowded inside, since its not as big a restaurant. But its always busy and full of people. Make sure you get there well before time because, there is always a 5 mins wait atleast. My favorite : Red curry chicken, Thai Iced Coffee.
(5)DC C.
Depending on what you get here the rating could vary up or down. Been impressed with the portions on my visits, though is this really a good thing when the food is not to your liking? Overall, I think they have pretty good Vietnamese food, much truer to form than the two mutated Chinese restaurants I've been. I've tried the lemon grass pork (actually ordered beef) and egg rolls both good and the stir fried seafood egg noodles which I wouldn't get again. The food taste is average compared to what you'd get in other more ethnic cities. However they do get points for being as authentic as they are in Peoria and food quantity gets an "A'.
(3)Lewis H.
While this pleasant hole-in-the-wall can never compare with the Pho 79s or Pho Hoas in competitive Vietnamese dining hot-spots such as San Gabriel or Westminster (where your fellow diners are almost entirely ethnic Vietnamese rather than Bradley students and you're lucky to get a menu in English), it provides real Vietnamese cuisine and zing in a convenient central Illinois location. I enjoyed my huge bowl of pho with rare and well done beef, plenty of basil and bean sprouts and jalapenos to add. The big squeeze bottle of Sriracha sauce on hand. Pleasant cha gio with crispy pork inside, though not perhaps as delicately flaky and fragrant as the ultimate cha gio of one's dreams. I wish they had the little drip filter coffee makers with which you can brew your own super thick java at the table then mix it up with ice and condensed milk into a big whopping iced coffee. Still, I'll be back for sure, to try more of the menu items. Furthermore, the price/value relationship at Thanh Linh compares very favorably to certain fancy Vietnamese establishments near the Embarcadero in San Francisco, best left unnamed...and Thanh Linh has free parking in back! Such a deal.
(4)niccole m.
Oh man this place is delicious. Prices are really good considering the yummy fresh ingredients that you get. The Pad Tai is tasty, as is everything I have tried there. Crab rangoon to die for. The fish sauce...WOW! I could go on and on. SO GOOD. that is all.
(5)David B.
Have been to Thanh Linh a few times. The food is always is good and the service is also good.
(4)Boon T.
We have been dining in this restaurant since their establishment (99?). Our favorite is the pho, especially, Saturday Day Soup (#54), although I think it could be more spicy. I've been to other vietnamese restaurants in bigger cities and think this one live up the standard of authentic vietnamese cuisine .
(4)Sherah B.
This place is top notch. I love Vietnamese food and they do it right here. It's really a little hole in the wall, but they have an awesome lunch buffet! Awesome, I tell you! My mouth is drooling just thinking about their egg rolls and basil stir fry.....yummy in my tummy..
(5)Jit N.
I'll the keep the review short and sweet. The portions are large (especially the rice dishes), I usually have something left over for a light lunch the next day. The pictured shrimp springs rolls are a must. The food tastes fresh. The menu is standard Vietnamese, it's all good. The selection during the lunch buffet is limited, but the quality is probably better than any other buffet in Peoria. I'm here at least once every two weeks.
(4)H H.
Basil Chicken is amazing. Everything here looks good and fresh. The shop itself isn't the most appealing appearance-wise, but has great food. Hear they have a good lunch buffet too.
(5)Minh R.
Take it from a Vietnamese guy that's been eating the stuff his whole life, this place is the next best thing to Mom's home-cooked Vietnamese meals. The spring rolls or egg rolls are a must have appetizer, the spicy lemongrass chicken is also a must, and you can't say you've had Vietnamese until you've had their phô. The atmosphere might not be much but the food is 5 star all the way.
(4)Spencer S.
Best Vietnamese food I have had outside of Chicago. The lunch buffet was great, especially the ground chicken & basil dish.
(4)Nancy W.
Taking the restaurant in context -- it's located in a region where Asian restaurants are not common -- it wouldn't be fair to compare it to those found in my town (San Francisco). However, I was so happy to find fresh vegetables cooked crisp-tender, tasty spring rolls, lemongrass and tofu that I came close to hugging our servers. The 'spicy' in the "Spicy Lemongrass Chicken" was on vacation but the flavors were still good. Additionally, there is a fair influx of Chinese influence in the menu. The decor is simple with no particular ambiance, but that doesn't matter. The service is friendly and attentive and the food we ordered was good and reasonably priced. It is located kitty-corner from Bradley University in a store front you might miss if you're not paying attention. I didn't try the Pho, but since I'll be going back before I leave, I will give it a try. If you're in Peoria and you're looking for an alternative to the good Mid-West beef and ubiquitous fried-breaded-stuffed McChain restaurants, give Thanh Linh a try.
(4)Ashley R.
You get two great meals out of this, because you will always have enough leftovers for lunch the next day. I was pleasantly surprised the first time I tried this, because it doesnt look like much, but I was blown away by the spicy lemongrass chicken. since then ive ordered something different every time and never had a bad meal. The serving staff is very friendly, although I will say service there has always been really slow. but the foods good enough that I keep going back.
(5)Stephanie S.
We decided not to cook anymore and just order from Thanh Linh every week since their cooking is a lot better than ours! We love everything there, from egg rolls, crab rangoon, to their entree (spicy lemongrass chicken, vietnamese curry, pan fried noodles, thick noodles, stir fried green beans) to their vietnamese coffee. Yum! We are huge fans
(5)Coolwillz W.
Has a very good taste to price ratio! The food is surprisingly good and they are affordable. I have tried the lunch a few times and the taste seems to be pretty consistent. The service can be slow sometimes but still acceptable. This is one of the few good asian restaurant in peoria.
(5)Rebecca S.
I've never tried vietnamese food before, so I was a little leary of what it would taste like. We didn't cook dinner and needed somewhere to go that would make take out rather quickly for about 10 people. I was visiting friends and took the chicken soup to go because I had to head back home that night. I ate it for dinner the next night and cooked it with all the fixin's that come separate from the soup [herbs like cilantro and basil, jalepeno, bean sprouts and a wedge of lime] I wasn't sure what to do with them so I threw all of it in the pan with the soup and it was DELISH! There was so much soup in the container, I even had leftovers the next day as well. I would eat that soup every day if they were closer to me. I look forward to Thanh Linh when I visit my friends in Peoria. I'll have to try something else next time and take the soup home again.
(5)Teresa P.
The service was terrible, the cleanliness was questionable, and the food was ok. The waitress asked us for our order before we had a chance to even open the menu. She came back less than a minute later to ask again. When she came out with our food, she said "Number 49?". My partner and I looked at each other confused, and she preceded to sigh heavily, and then say, "This is yours" and throw the plate down in front of my partner. It then took another 5 minutes for my dish to come out. The other waitress, who eventually brought out my dish, even commented about how polite my partner was to wait so long. At the end of the meal we had to wait 10 minutes before someone came around, and we asked for boxes and the check. 5 minutes later we had to ask again. Regarding the cleanliness, our table had not been properly cleaned, and there was garbage on my bench. Underneath another table were remnants of food. The actual food was mediocre. The menu is not so much Vietnamese as it is Americanized pan-Asian. On another note, the first night we attempted to go here it was closing, but it was not even 9 and a Friday night.
(1)Paul B.
Fantastic authentic Vietnamese food! My friends and I go there every week for their lunch buffet.
(5)Brandon B.
Very good!
(4)Karye S.
I would eat at Thanh Linh every day if I could! My son, mother-in-law and I try to make it to Thanh Linh a few Saturdays a month. They have a special "Saturday" Soup (#54) which is a little spicy, but exceptional. (My son usually eats the milder meatball soup #52). The soup is served with a plate of fresh cilantro, basil, red cabbage, bean sprouts and lime wedges. The spring rolls are excellent. On most week days they have a lunch buffet which my family loves and it seems to be popular with the students and professors at Bradley. The buffet looks good, but I prefer to order off the menu. The atmosphere is extra casual. The prices are reasonable. It's well worth the drive from my north Peoria home to Main Street for their food.
(5)Nannette P.
I used to eat here almost daily in college during my internship in East Peoria. I had never had Vietnamese food before college and I found this little gem of a restaurant one day while driving to work. I chose the Lemongrass Beef and I never turned back! Being a loyal woman to usually one or two dishes on an menu, I stuck to my Lemongrass Beef with Vietnamese Coffee almost every day for lunch. I now wish I would've explored a bit more on the menu, but to this day, I remember the deliciousness of my Lemongrass Beef dish. And the Vietnamese Coffee is probably some of the strongest coffee that I have had to date. Imagine a huge cup of powerfully strong and robust coffee with heavy sweetened condensed milk to give it a little sweetness. So good!! If you are breezing through P-Town, be sure to stop in and taste this delicious restaurant.
(5)Ben G.
Start with the curry chicken, and expand from there. Excellent food.
(5)Sandra L.
Fabulous food, whether it's authentic Vietnamese or not, we wouldn't know the difference having never eaten this type of food before. We go for the Pho and crab rangoon a couple times a week. Have gone for the lunch buffet once and loved the chicken curry over rice. The hot tapioca/banana pudding was interesting and the prices are always soooo cheap. Best ethnic restaurant in Peoria!
(5)K. T.
Great place, authentic, often hard to get into for lunch, buffet has great selection and is fresh, menu items are also great. Recently remodeled and has a nice decor. You can do quality vegetarian or not if you like. Economical too. Would be 5+ stars if the food was local / organic.
(4)Sheema K.
As far as ethnic food goes in Peoria, Thanh Linh is excellent and worthy of five stars. Compared to Thai/Vietnamese joints in a larger city, however, I'd only rate it 3.5-4 stars. My favorite dish is Bun Cha (cold rice noodle bowl with bbq chicken, chopped egg roll, fried onions, fresh cilantro/daikon/cucumber/carrot, peanuts, and a sweet & sour fish sauce on top). The standard Thai options (basil chicken, lemongrass chicken, curries, pad thai etc.) are good, but not exceptional. Portions are ENORMOUS - for example, one order of curry could easily feed three people. You will be taking home leftovers. They also have a pretty decent lunch buffet on weekdays, if you can get a seat. If you haven't tried it yet, you are missing out.
(5)Ben B.
Ordered carry out tonight. Red Curry was very tasty, and spicy! We will order it milder next time, and it could be a tad sweeter. Nevertheless it was very good - enough to split for 2. We are saving the green curry in the fridge for tomorrow.
(4)Justin S.
Another place that is required Peoria eating. Great pho, great everything. Get a Vietnamese coffee too.
(5)Jessica B.
Great little local place with really unique dishes. I had the ginger stir fry and my bf had the chicken fried rice -- both were well above the quality level of typical asian grab and go places. The people were nice and the portions were huge! We're sold! :)
(5)Geoff N.
Wonderful Vietnamese. Their Pho is probably the best I've had in Central Illinois...though not quite as good as the Pho in NYC or Austin (believe it or not). Pretty good buffet for lunch and really good carts food as well. Overall, I'd recommend a stop by- the helpings are generous and the prices are decent. Plenty of parking in the rear lots.
(4)James B.
Best ethnic food in Peoria and cheap.
(5)lex s.
steamed dumplings was really good but the spicy lemongrass with tofu tasted like rubber. Coffee was really good. So I am torn as to if I want to go back or not.
(3)De N.
one of the few people here who can't give it a hight rating. like the posting from Oct 2010, we must have had the same waitress because she was simply awful. we decided she must hate her job. the food was mediocre at best. i won't bother returning.
(1)allison d.
this place is sooo good. they thave this appetizer "fried platter" thing that i allow myself to gorge on 2 or 3 times a year. The lunch buffet is always the same and delicious. also, try the saturday soup!
(4)Lesley S.
Everytime I go here I get the Bun-something (it is #41 or 42 I think) with the fish sauce (sounds gross but actually does not taste or smell fishy at all) that you dump on it and it is beyond delicious. It includes ramen type noodles, a cut up egg roll, veggies and meat of choice- I always get BBQ pork. I think my dad started taking us here when I was in high school and it was the first time I experience true Vietnamese food. If you haven't had it, you are definitely missing out. I found a place up in Chicago that serves something very similar but it still isn't quite as good as Thanh Linh. The staff was always incredibly friendly as well and we went every couple of weeks so they knew who we were after a short period of time. When I was home over summer breaks I used to go on my lunch to Thanh Linh and they had a great buffet. They also used to have a cart downtown by the courthouse that I would get BBQ pork fried rice at. Everything I ever tried from there was the best Vietnamese I've ever had.
(5)Ryan M.
Very good, although I've heard some disturbing things about their health department scores lately. I usually use fried rice and egg rolls as a barometer for asian restaurants, and Thanh Linh's are as good as it gets in Peoria. The #42 is a staple for me, the steamed rice noodles with grilled pork, shredded egg roll, cabbage, and cilantro - very refreshing. They also have a cart in front of the court house when the weather warms up - a good lunch for $5.
(4)