Garden Vietnamese Restaurant
304 Reily St, Harrisburg, PA, 17102
Garden Vietnamese Restaurant Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Harrisburg for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant blood pressure menu details.
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
304 Reily St
Harrisburg, PA, 17102 - Phone (717) 238-9310
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :10:00 am - 7:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Divey
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Wey L.
I give it 5 star because it is one of the best Pho places in Harrisburg area, no doubt. The soup is very flavorful and they have pretty authentic stuff as well. Two things I have tried so far: 1. Their Garden Special Spicy Noodle Soup: This is excellent. Spicy and has their style of "meatball". Love it. 2. Ginger Chicken with Rice (forgot the full name): Good amount of chicken and the sauce is a bit spicy too. I've ordered Rice dish from many Pho places and the portion is always small. Garden's portion is good and tasty. Is this the best Pho I have tried? Nope. But for Harrisburg area, it is 5-star. My only complaint is their Hours. They close way too early at 7pm. Many times I just can't make it in time. I understand majority of their customers are government workers but a restaurant closing at 7pm is awfully EARLY IMO.
(5)Eric B.
This place introduced me to the wonders of Vietnamese food. What can I say? I will never forget my first love. When Vietnamese food is prepared well, it is fresh as a day of Spring and crisp like the Fall. Delicate, delicious, and a lovely combination of rice/noodles, broth, meat, and herbs. The Spring Rollls here rock. So fresh. The peanut sauce is served warm with a dash of spice. One suggestion: Serve it with some peanut pieces, like the size in chunky peanut butter. Overall, the best peanut sauce I have ever had. I am a huge fan of the Grilled Pork Bun with Vermicelli Noodles. I would love to try some other dishes but when I have, I always come back to this with the sliced egg roll. It is dish nirvana. Pure bliss. This was the first Vietnamese dish I enjoyed about a decade ago. It would be my last meal if I am ever given the choice. Hopefully, not before the firing squad. But at least I would die happy. I walked out with half my dish and the chop sticks off the table. I discovered later that the chop sticks looked non-disposable and I should have left them behind. I called the owner and profusely apologized. He told me to keep them. I owe him a glowing review for the food, the pricing of his restaurant--like twelve dollars for my meal of two Spring Rolls and the Pork Bun, and his generosity. If Harrisburg ever makes it back on its fiscal and cultural feet, places like this will be one of the reasons why. A real gem. I humbly bow.
(5)Brendan C.
First time at the place for my first bowel of Pho! Service was attentive and helpful. 3/5 because I don't have anything to compare it to yet!
(3)Chen W.
The meat and noodle are not fresh, vegi is OK. There are lot of Vinamese restaurant, you can try others!
(1)Eric N.
Absolutely the best Pho in town. Heads and shoulders above the rest! Service is great. I really can't say enough good things about this place. I have been eating here for over 10 years and their business has grown steadily for good reason. Excellent food great service and good prices. You will not find better Vietnamese food in the Capital Region, maybe not even in a 300 mi radius of Harrisburg, yes the Phö is that good.
(5)Anum H.
You can't beat the price for the portion and taste. I only visit this place on fridays or saturdays for their weekend specials. The garden soup is the bomb. It's so good. I'm actually craving for it right now. Seeing that it's saturday... I think I might go get some
(5)Holly R.
So cheap and so delicious and so much food. Definitely try this place! The shrimp, chicken broth pho was amazing. My dining partners got the fried rice, slide pork, lemon grass chicken, and spring rolls and they all agreed that the food was excellent. You won't regret it.
(5)Christy L.
Great little restaurant with awesome food at a great price. Have their own parking lot which is big in Harrisburg. I had the vermicelli noodles with egg rolls and shrimp which was excellent. Even had leftovers for lunch. My husband had chicken lemongrass and egg rolls which was also very good. Will definitely be back.
(4)David A.
Non descript place, reasonable prices and decent food. Their are better options in the area for Vietnamese but this place is ok. The pho is your besy bet with noodle and rice dishes pretty inconsistent.
(3)Ben G.
Perfect pho, great prices. Not far off the highway either, and before you leave get some Vietnamese iced coffee to go... It is rocket fuel.
(5)Abigail B.
My favorite Pho! I don't how they do it but the broth is the richest, most complex tasting pho I've had. I always get beef (still pink and juicy, seems to be cooking in the broth) but they have chicken, shrimp and tofu too. The prices are reasonable. I recommend pairing the soup with either the young coconut drink or the Vietnamese coffee. There is other food too which is good but the pho is my personal favorite. Basil and jalapeno are provided along with the usual cilantro. Even though it is in the city, there is a huge parking lot close by. The restaurant is within walking distance of the Midtown Cinema which shows many independent films.
(5)Mohun K.
First time visit for dinner on 4/25. Followed the Yelpers to this location. In all honesty, I am not a fan of Pho, but that was the best part of the meal. Had a large bowl of the chicken and shrimp. Ingredients tasted fresh and overall the taste profile was good. We had the shrimp rolls and egg rolls for appetizer - shrimp rolls were good, but the egg rolls were gross - they tasted as though they'd be made with stale fish oil. Probably won't return...
(3)Bill M.
Can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Number 1 and spring rolls are my favorites. A large will give you dinner and lunch the next day. Loc is awesome and always provides fast and friendly service.
(5)Jeanine C.
Aw, this is my 100th review! Congratulations G.V.R. - Not the reason I gave you 5 stars either, just a coincidence you're that special! Well this restaurant is in the city, thankfully it has parking, so you don't need to worry about street parking. From the outside, it doesn't look as nice. Don't judge a book from it's cover. Inside is just a normal restaurant. The greeter/waiter was so friendly to us. Our food came fast as ever. The menu options and prices were excellent. And the taste of the food was great. I don't have one thing to complain about this place, which is extremely uncommon!
(5)Sara N.
To be frank, the only place serving exemplary Vietnamese food in the central Pennsylvania area is my mother's home kitchen. But she only cooks for our family. With that said, this freezing cold restaurant serves a mean bowl of bun bo hue, a special on Saturday mornings. However, the rest of the overpriced menu is a sham. The bun thit nuong (vermicelli with grilled pork) was a sloppy mess of thin noodles and deep-fried pork. Already committing a cardinal sin by frying the pork into black oblivion, the pork egg rolls were stale and meager in size. I can understand why non-Asian locals come here often, but to the initiated, there is much, much better Vietnamese food to be had.
(3)Yuelin L.
Nice pho and egg roll. Will go back next time. It is a family restaurant, the lady in the front help check out is always with an "angre face", that is why i gave it 4 starts.
(4)Erica S.
Great spot for lunch. We had a party of 5 and were seated quickly, served quickly, and left satisfied. I had the #31 which was beef over noodles with a yummy sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The bowl of food was huge. There was a little salad of herbs and radishes and cucumbers in the bowl as well that I just kind of mixed in and ate with the beef and noodles, and it was topped with a chopped egg roll. There was a good sauce on the side as well. I also had an iced coffee and while it was good and strong it was a little too sweet for me. Nice staff. The traditional pho that one of my friends ordered looked great. I'll try that next time!
(4)E S.
Oh, I am 'such' a fan :) This little gem is close enough for me to walk to from work, so I'm biased, but dozens of other reviews make me feel quite secure in my opinion. You.Must.Come.Here. It's delicious. It's inexpensive. The folks that run it are nice and will remember you if you return. The inside just has this great 'vibe' of any little family restaurant, with great folks you feel good about supporting with your hard earned cash. And need I mention how GOOD the Pho is? I'm stuck on #4 (steak and meatball) but you can make your own choice. By the way, they have great tea there, obviously homemade, and it's ONLY 50 cents a cup! Wow! Seriously, between a small Pho, drink of ice tea, and a generous tip, a ten dollar bill will get you through lunch. I recommend this place to my friends, and must say that even those unfamiliar with Vietnamese Cuisine are fond of the place. Come here. Sit down. Have some Pho. You'll be glad you did.
(5)Al H.
Love their ginger chicken.
(5)Becca K.
Awesome noodles! Super, super fast service... best place to get pho in Harrisburg!!
(5)Andrew W.
Absolutely best pho in the area. They have been serving this soup in one place or another for 20 plus years. The rest of their menu is excellent as well. This place is very authentic you won't be disappointed with any meal you get. Also, get an iced coffee with your meal
(5)Dale R.
Garden Vietnamese has been one of my favorite spots for a tasty, interesting and inexpensive meal for many years. Its cozy, pleasant atmosphere is always inviting. (And actually it's in a decent neighborhood near the college.) I usually have 'the same old thing' every time (pho noodle soup with chicken and mixed noodles plus a shrimp spring roll with delectable peanut sauce), and it's always tasty, fun to eat, and filling. Nothing beats watching a wonderful movie at Midtown Cinema a block away, and then enjoying an inexpensive, delectable meal at the Garden. Whenever I eat at the Garden, I think of the movie 'Tampopo' in which an old man explains the art of eating Japanese noodles. Similarly, eating Pho is always an interesting and enjoyable experience to experiment with the numerous combinations and permutations of [meat / noodle / vegetable / broth], [chop sticks / soup spoon / fingers], [hot sauces / lime / cilantro / basil / sprouts]. Check out the Cinema and check out the Garden. They're great Harrisburg treasures!
(5)Jen Q.
A little dark inside, not quite "hole in the wall" status yet, but the food was tasty and the service was speedy.
(4)Kim T.
Of the 3 Pho restaurants I've tried in the area, this is the best. It's located in midtown Harrisburg, a bit out of the way and in a bad part of town but people there are friendly. The price is reasonable for the area. Not what I am use to but its reasonable. They have Bo Kho and Bun Bo Hue on Fri & Sat only, what gives??
(3)Mark A.
The Pho here, while perhaps not quite as rich and complex as what you might get at some soup shops in the big metro areas, is very good. I always add in a little hoisin sauce and Sriracha from the table anyway. You can ask for double meat if you'd like, and it comes with all the standard add-ins (bean sprouts, cilantro, lime). The cha gio (Vietnamese egg rolls) and other side dishes are also solid. If you order hot tea, though, you may want to bring your own tea bag if you like it strong -- they recently switched to just serving single-serve cups from a large pot in the back. Overall, though, a great place for quick service and an inexpensive, filling meal for HACC students and staff, and downtown workers anytime.
(4)Katie B.
Don't be fooled by the look. This place has the best Pho in HBG and the owners are fabulous people.
(5)Raj D.
Not very good for vegetarians. The veggie spring rolls were pretty good but they were lacking in entrée options.
(2)Vik S.
Amazing little place! I talked to the owner and he said that they've been there for 10 years, at the same spot. Very friendly staff and quick service (I was there on a Wednesday afternoon). If you live in the area and haven't tried this gem of a hole in the wall, I HIGHLY recommend it. If you're from out of town and looking for a cheap and awesomely delicious Vietnamese place, please go here.
(5)Jerrold T.
Excellent food, friendly people. Good comfort food.
(5)S. B.
Soup is a great breakfast food. It's also good for lunch, dinner, and curing hangovers. At least, that's what Loc Nguyen, owner of Garden Vietnamese, says about the pho his family has been serving in Harrisburg for the past nine years. In Saigon City, as Loc calls it, (although it was re-named Ho Chi Minh City in 1976,) where the Nguyen family lived, Pho is traditional for breakfast. And you can't get much more traditional than Garden Vietnamese. The man who greets you at the door, busses your table, and spends time chatting, in Vietnamese, at a neighboring table? That's Loc Nguyen's father, Phong Nguyen, who brought his wife, two sons and daughter to Lancaster, PA in 1996. The family had good reason to leave. Phong Nguyen served as a second Lieutenant in the South Vietnamese army, then spent four years in what was euphemistically called a re-education camp following the Vietnam war. The woman whose recipes are used and who acts as head chef? That's Loc's mother. When she first arrived here with her family she, and her husband, worked as packers in a manufacturing facility, saving as much money as they could. The family bought the restaurant in 1999. Originally run by Loc's sister and brother-in-law, the business didn't do well. Loc, recently graduated from McCaskey High School, took over in 2003. Loc says it's hard work to run a restaurant. But, when he speaks about the food, it is with near reverence. "It takes a long time. You cook the beef and the chicken in the water for a long time, then add radish and carrot and onion--the white kind--the radish makes a nice, clear broth." The complex but gentle blend of spices include cinnamon, Vietnamese basil flowers, and a flavor reminiscent of fennel or star anise. The broth is finished with a bit of sugar and salt. Noodles, meat and vegetables are added just before serving. At the table, guests can add crunchy bean sprouts, tangy cilantro, fresh basil and a squeeze of lime juice. For sweeter, richer soup, hoison sauce is suggested (especially for the beef pho) and sriracha chili sauce is available for the brave. All the recipes, from the Pho to the shrimp rolls and noodle and rice dishes are made in house, with fresh ingredients. The egg rolls, which are smaller than a standard Chinese egg roll, are made with malanga, a root vegetable that gives the filling a slightly sweet flavor. On Friday and Saturday, there are two specials: beef stew and garden soup. Neither is for beginners. The soup is one of the spiciest dishes the restaurant serves. The stew is rich with fat-marbled beef and a choice of rice, egg or vermicelli noodles. Loc insists that everything on the menu is good, "We eat what we serve and we serve what we eat." But, when pressed, he says that soup is his comfort food, the food that anyone can eat under any circumstances. There seems very little garden-like at Garden Vietnamese with its clean, white Formica tables, pale green walls and comfortable but utilitarian chairs. But, the garden is there, in the food. A bounty of textures and flavors, carefully tended by a family who work hard to make their traditional recipes a new tradition for all who visit the restaurant.
(5)Natalie B.
Definitely one of the better Vietnamese restaurants in the area. It's a little small and not the classiest looking place (bright green paint? really?), but the food is good and cheap. The servers are attentive and nice. Their pho and goi cuon are the best I've had around Harrisburg. Their thit nuong isn't seasoned as well as other places in the area though (Little Saigon wins that one).
(3)Candice S.
Heard the pho here was delish, so gave it a try on a whim. The chicken pho was fantastic! The broth was so good, and the noodles were perfectly cooked. My boyfriend got some type of shrimp dish, which was also really tasty!
(4)Dawn S.
While I didn't go frequently, I used to love this place. However, the last time I went the service was poor. The waiter didn't seem interested in servicing us. When I asked for a dish with no meat I was rudely (I consider sighing rude) showed the only veggie option....really...only one veggie option???? Once the food was brought out, that's the last we saw of the waiter. And the prices have skyrocketed.....I'll go someplace else next time I'm in the area or want Vietnamese food.
(1)Jeff S.
My Pho Phrenzy continues... I've been back to Garden Vietnamese several times since my first review and have watched the service in this joint steadily decline over time. My experience today (5/27/09) was really beyond the pale. While I feel that the quality of the food is rather high, I can not get over just how shitty the service is. Today, I walked in around noon for lunch and was seated at one of the long tables in the center of the restaurant. No big deal, the place was full and I've shared those long tables with strangers before. I placed my order and was served my appetizers. When my soup came out, the owner asked me to move to a different table - IN THE MIDDLE OF MY MEAL!!! He said the table I was sitting at seats 8 and sometimes they get large parties for lunchtime. Now, mind you, there was no party of 8 waiting to be seated, and when they did re-seat the table, they did so with 2 parties of two. WTF?!?!!? On top of that, the bottle of Hoisin sauce on the new table was covered in ANTS. Furthermore, my water glass sat empty for my entire meal and, once again, I had to go hunting for my check. What is it with these Vietnamese restaurants? Why is the service so exceedingly poor? Is it too much to ask to be treated like a valued patron?
(1)Lauren B.
Love the fresh, flavorful pho and the sweet staff at Garden!
(5)Tina B.
The food is simple and has a home cooking vibe, but has always been consistent, fresh and good for us. The staff is pleasant and the portions are large, for a very low price. The only downside is the actual condition of the building -- rundown! there is a blanket serving as a you must walk through to get into the restroom; the floors are uneven, and the place would definitely benefit by a steam clean and new ceiling. If they could fix up the building it would absolutely move up to five stars rating in my book.
(4)T W.
The food is OK, but the problem is CLEANLINESS! The glass table top is sticky every single time I've been there. What does it take to spray and wipe off after someone eats? Same with the condiment containers on the tables, totally gross and sticky like they have never been cleaned, ever. Based on the front of the house cleanliness, I can image the kitchen is a disgusting cess pool. The neighborhood cleaned itself up, but this dump has not. Eat at your own risk! Rose's food is so much better, and it's clean!
(2)Alison S.
Tasty, inexpensive, and really fast: this is a great little place. It's family-owned and feels like it. Food is always fresh and freshly made. The "slide pork with spring roll on vermicelli" is awesome -- we joke about it being addictive. The pho is also really good, with very fresh herbs and fragrant broth that's just as it should be. After growing up in LA and living in Toronto, I have to say the Vietnamese food is in Harrisburg. Unfortunately I have found hair in my food, and several of my friends have as well. It's not a particularly clean place. They should work on that.
(2)D N.
This was my first experience here, I typically go to little saigon,I thought the pho here was ok. But i'll admit i'm a tad bit critical of restuarant quality pho since I have been enjoying pho for as long as I could use a pair of chopsticks! I found the eggrolls and dipping sauce were better than little saigon's (little saigon's eggroll is overkill w/ the pepper and dipping sauce is bland). I got the large pho and it was definitely A LOT of meat and noodles. The herb plate had the necessary greens. There wasn't any tripe so that was disappointing. Ordering a large $7 bowl of pho "dac biet" i expect "the works"! Another thing,I wish the beef slices weren't so cooked, I love my beef raw when its served (will cook once it mixes in the hot broth) but I guess I can see the freak-out factor that could cause. I would come back here, next time I want to try the bun bo hue. A word on ambiance/decor/service: Get out of town if that's what you're looking for in a vietnamese establishment in harrisburg. It's simple, just not happening. I'm not sure why either but I see it too, luckily I can charm them with my vietnamese. Just don't expect too much when it comes to this department in any of the area viet. restaurants and look at the bigger picture; the low cost and quality of dinner outweighs the pretentious stuff.
(3)Frank S.
I had the soft chicken noodles ($8), and was really impressed! The food came out quickly and was really good. I also really liked the atmosphere, which I thought was authentic.
(5)Keith M.
The best pho around this area. I have tried several others on both the east shore and west shore and I always come back here. The service can be spotty but I have never had any problems. Food comes out very fast and is consistent. If you are looking for a great eating spot this will be one that you add to your repeat list. I have been coming here for at least 6 years and introduce many people that now come regularly.
(4)Andrea W.
Used to live just a few blocks from this place and have been here many times! Very good pho- large portions, very cheap! Cleanliness? Yeah, it's an issue....
(3)Karen W.
I wasn't expecting such great pho in Harrisburg, PA. The egg rolls - yum. The dipping sauce it came with was slightly spicy, but just the kick it needed. The pho was great - got beef and beef balls. Can't go wrong with it. And 50 cents iced tea? Yes please. The only downside is that they expect you to eat off the tables. Literally. The egg rolls came out sans side plates, so I devoured mine over an open napkin.
(4)Dan R.
Garden Vietnamese Restaurant is a nice little spot in mid-town. The food is excellent and I would suggest it, well worth a try. My favs: Pho w/ steak, tendon & tripe. Steamed rice w/ shredded pork, fried egg, grilled pork and pork loaf. and crispy spring rolls w/ peanut sauce. Their weekend specials are good took, it took awhile to get it (they sometimes were out-of-stock), but the Beef Stew is really awesome, the Hue Pho Soup is alright, not my fav. spring rolls are awesome too. this is a long narrow building with a small parking lot next to it that can fit about 10 cars or 8 suvs. has been open since 1999. This neighborhood used to look so ghetto and shady before they built that HACC campus. There used to be drug dealers and homeless people on the same street. Now you wouldn't even recognize it, compared to what it used to be. the parking is alright, they have a small lot beside the restaurant hat can fit about 10 cars. they also have on-street parking available. If you look at the doorstep is the color of south vietnam's flag. UPDATE 01-27-08 I haven't been here in about 4 months and their prices really have sky rocketed! small soup price: 5.00 (was 4.50) Large soup price 6.00 (was 5.00) Viet Iced Coffee 2.50 (was 1.75) , Grilled Porkchop 7.25 (was 6.00) I'll admit the portion actually seemed slightly bigger, but holy crap was I upset. since they opened that HACC campus across the street, their prices have risen by at least 35% thats kinda crazy. the food is very good, but the prices are a little salty. UPDATE ~~~~~~-sept 20th, 2008~~~~~~~~~ soup price is even higher, 6.50 for large, and 7.25 for a rice dish... insane... also.... sarting in november they will be closed sunday and open monday - saturday.
(4)Matthew C.
Best Egg Roles in the City. Check out their menu at - midtowneats.com/vietname…
(4)Amanda B.
Oh, Pho.. Pros: Huge portions, small price, great food, and DELICIOUS home-made Lemonade Cons: Not a pleasant atmosphere, lousy service (I seriously had no idea whether or not I had to ask to be waited on or whether I should wait to be seated or just seat myself). I've also experienced too many sticky table tops at this restaurant. To avoid the aforementioned cons, I'll be ordering take-out and suggest you do the same.
(3)Iyad O.
Number 28?! Yum. Very good coffee. Great pho, a little sweeter than I'm used to. My wife added peanut sauce to everything and loved it.
(4)Fina A.
Wish to give three stars the "OK" one, but two will do better for this one. I give the "Meh, I've experienced better" because it's true, have experienced better on other Pho restaurants in the country. The Pho they have is still okay, I enjoyed it; its just that the place is not as cozy as I expected to enjoy my hot Pho. So, if you are around this area, carving for some hot noodle soup and nothing you find good near you, ended up coming to this place will do help.
(2)Laurie H.
Just an FYI, tried to go here today and there was a sign in the window that said they'd reopen on 12/1/2011.
(5)Steve P.
Yes the service is definitely something that lacks a little, however they make up for it with their food at a decent price. If for nothing else you should come here to try their eggrolls. There have been days where I get nothing but 2-3 orders of them and am completely happy. Their noodlebowls have a nice assortment of veggies and meat and will leave you full. As far as their Pho goes, I am going to have to say that it could be better. The chicken pho uses pieces that taste as though they are precooked and then added to the soup later, whereas other locations I eat it at, the chicken is very moist, almost like it was added right before it was brought to the table. Slightly better Pho, and a updating their service would make this place a 5.
(4)Tom J.
I absolutely love Pho and Garden has the best in town. Service is great and super fast (during lunch hours). Ive been going here for years and recommend it to anyone looking to try something new or already enjoy the bowl of awesomeness! The only Con i can think of is during lunch hours this place gets packed and sometimes have to share a table with someone. But i dont mind.
(5)Calvin D.
This was my second time back since they raised their prices. I think the quality has gone down as the prices have gone? I had their Spicy Garden Soup and it was neither spicy or garden. It's too bad.
(2)Jonathan B.
I've only ordered take out here, so I can't speak to the atmosphere and aesthetics inside. Have only ordered two items off the menu, the chicken pho and the pork vermicelli. Both have been excellent. Large portions, fresh ingredients, consistent taste. We'll keep going back.
(4)Keidi K.
Definitely my place of choice when it comes to Pho in this area. However, I often question how sanitary their kitchen really is.
(4)John C.
At first I was skeptical of the place, since it didn't look like a restaurant you would want to go in from the outside. However, the interior was better. It reminded me a little bit of Cali. My friend never ate Vietnamese food before so it was a treat for him. We ordered the Spring Rolls of course. He really enjoyed the bean sauce that came with it, I never learn the actual name for it. They were good, but somehow lacked a bit of taste, well the taste I am used to from Cali anyways. My friend initially wanted the Beef stew but they said they were out of it. So he settled for the House Pho. He was actually surprise that I knew what to order before we stepped into the restaurant and where to find it in the menu(it is always #1 in pretty much any Vietnamese restaurant I ever went to, hehe) I also ordered the House Pho since, well...if you are from Cali, what else do you order at a Vietnamese restaurant? =P. Well all in all it was a nice meal. The waitress was really friendly(and cute). She actually thought I was vietnamese!!(first time I heard that!). I was actually also mistaken to be Japanese @ Asian Noodle House. She also reminded us to take back our camera that we left on the table. I will definitely be coming back again, of course for the food, ^____________^
(5)Juliet G.
The ambience gives it a low rating. Car photos cut from magazines are taped on the wall behind the cash register and the bathroom has a bucket and mop in the corner. Food wise lunch was okay. I got some basic stir fry chicken and rice which was fine. The iced tea was very watered down. Would try something else or somewhere else next time.
(2)Barbara V.
I've been here several times and the food is very consistent. The service is friendly. My favorites are the spring rolls, Ginger chicken noodles and pancake (mis-marked as an appetizer but plenty for dinner)!
(5)Brian R.
I am a fan of Garden, and I'm convinced this place very well might have the best Pho around Harrisburg. The inside is just okay, the real issue I have with the place is that it's become a rather trendy spot now that Midtown is having a renaissance of sorts so the prices have increased quite a bit. The bbq and spring rolls I've had from here were also delicious, I mean the food is really, really good.
(4)MoCe C.
Service has diff. Improved always buzy though. Still like foxy Rose's thou.
(3)Lisa A.
This Pho restaurant is pretty good, but not as original/traditional tasting Ninh Kieu. Their soup was good, and I think we had a seafood appetizer (I can't recall which it was) but it was also good. My husband thought it was a little pricey. We did like the atmosphere ok. Not fancy, but rather casual.
(4)Marcelo K.
Awesome pho, great spring rolls. The menu is a bit small so there is not too much variety. Good place to go for casual dining.
(4)Susie M.
Pho is an addiction. Sometimes, you just have to have it. Harrisburg may not be the pho Capital, but there are some fine places for a superior bowl (Rose's and Ninh Kieu to name two worthy contenders). Garden is just not among the greats. The pho here will satisfy the craving, but ultimately disappoints. The first time I tried to order the weekend special beef stew, the waiter told me I wouldn't like it: too greasy. Ordered it anyway. It was a bit oily, but flavorful, not a bad meal on a cold rainy afternoon. Passable cha gio. I would not go out of my way, but if you are close by, you can get a satisfactory meal.
(2)Rod P.
I'd have to agree with Steve M. I am from Buffalo and the greasy MSG laden spots there are horrible. What I liked about this place is that the food is always fresh and you can add to their already simple but tasty soups. Their Spring/Egg rolls are great and it's in a quaint location. The only con is that it is in Mid-town Hbg. A problem during lunch as it does get a bit crowded with the government workers and all that's going on downtown. Order early and pick up is decent. It's generally clean and they have a wide variety of foods that are not Viet-American.
(4)Stephanie Y.
The best pho ever! Pho has a rich, flavorful broth unlike any other. Basil is provided with pho which is a unique plus. Pho portions are HUGE at a great price (small is huge, at just $5 last time I was there). Beef in the pho comes out pink and is still cooking in the broth, adding to flavor. I usually get the young coconut drink too which is a great complement to pho. Make a day of it and go to the Midtown Scholar bookstore nearby afterwards.
(4)Michelle F.
The Pho was good, but not the best that I've had. I would consider eating there again but the restaurant is very dirty. When we were there, there was a layer of dust on everything which was a huge turn off. The silverware is just sitting out and we had to wonder how often everything got cleaned on the table. It really makes you wonder what the kitchen looks like. There was dirt floating in my water.
(2)J E.
Prior to this visit, I only ate at Vietnamese Garden once before. Usually I will go to Rose's, but this was New Year's day and after calling around to almost every ethnic restaurant we finaly found that the Garden was open for lunch. The restaurant was somewhat busy. We all ordered pho, accompanied by vietnamese coffee with cream. I also ordered shrimp spring rolls. Service was excellent as the food arrived at our table very quickly. My spring roll was average, it was very cold and you could tell it was refrigerated and not just made. My soup was excellent, all the flavors you expect were there are well balanced. We were also served a good amount of accompanyments (basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, lime) - we actually didn't finish all of them, which is rare!. I might not give up Rose's as my #1 choice, but I will definitely return to Vietnamese Garden in the future.
(4)Colleen S.
Weekend spicy Pho gets two thumbs up... man is this good. I also tried a few of their Shrimp and rice dishes and the lemongrass.. very tasty sauces... really I have never had anything here that I did not love.
(4)Tom S.
I could not believe this place. I loved it! Give me more Pho!!!!! Incredible Pho for a cheap price. The most interesting thing is that you would typically see a small crowd of similar ethnicity in a place like this but Garden is quite the opposite. A wide array of people ages and backgrounds all down for a hell of an authentic Viet meal for a hell of a price. The spring roll sauce is a spicy peanut flavor top notch. I will visit again!
(4)Amy G.
I'm having mixed emotions about this place. It used to be really good but sometimes we now find it to be less than perfect. It's still good vietnamese food for a really good price. It's just dingy enough to make it a great little spot. The service is also up and down. The last time we were there it took a long time to get the food. The gentleman that usually is there (I assume the manager/owner) still is gracious. I still recommend eating here, but I'd opt for Rose's when given a choice. Funny story, a few years ago my husband and I were eating there. We were sitting at one of the tables along the windows on the left. We suddenly heard very loud shrieking from the kitchen. We were surprised, but didn't get too worried. However, it continued and it was starting to scare us. The owner/manager, who had run into the kitchen, came out and told us there had been a small issue in the kitchen (implying a small fire). When the kitchen door swung back open as he headed back there again, we saw two tiny Asian women (assumably cooks) shrieking at each other (in what was obviouly a huge huge huge fight) each weilding a chinese cleaver type knife in one hand. They didn't take swings at each other, but they obviously were having a heated discussion. Um, I don't think there was really a fire. But I think two people were on fire. To this day, we wonder what triggered the all out war in the back room.
(4)Maura G.
One of my favorite restaurants ever for authentic Asian cuisine. The location is unassuming from the outside and when you walk in you might not think much of the decor, but the second you start to eat the food you forget about everything else because their dishes are, in a word, PERFECT. Food quality is high, prices are low, tastes are authentic, and portions are huge. My recommendation - Dish #3
(5)J R.
Good food...not the best but not the worst. Parking is terrible which keeps me from going here often. Menu is a bit limited. OK overall...Pho a bit on the weak side (the broth) but was still satisfying... not the best part of town either. There are plenty of good places to eat outside the burg. Tired of going to Harrisburg and having to look over my shoulder all the time, horrible and expensive parking. Wake up Mayor P... you are losing money.. clean up the city and make it safer and do not rape people to park.
(3)TheAnonomous T.
We were so surprised to find the Garden, we went there on Valentines Day and snuck in after hours, fortunately they were busy enough that we were served anyway. We had a fantastic meal, the Pho was really spicy and well cooked, and my vermicelli and pork was very tasty. The spring rolls were very succulent but the best was the presentation of the iced coffee were they brought a single serve coffee and let it drip from the press into the cream, delicious! We can't wait to get a chance to go back there. We do wish that they kept later hours, 6 pm - (8 pm Fri & Sat ) is just too early to close.
(5)Kym D.
Oh and for all those who keep calling the weekend special "spicy pho" it's actually called Bun Bo Hue which is spicy beef soup. Get it right.
(4)