I was so excited to see a Vietnamese restaurant open up in Davis! The interior is so cute and cozy. Super welcoming and warm place to have a meal or sit with a coffee. Their matcha coconut coffee is yummy and unique - it’s been a repeat purchase for me. The chicken wings were also great - a good size with lots of meat and crispy. We got the crispy chicken noodle bowl and the lemongrass chicken noodle bowl with a fried egg roll. The meat was well seasoned, super flavorful. Having grown up eating Vietnamese food all my life, I was missing the traditional herbs like mint and basil that usually come with vermicelli bowls, but the meat was so flavorful it really carried the dish. I also prefer fish sauce that is more pungent and rich, and the one they have is definitely less concentrated. It lended what I thought was a lighter and more fresh take on a traditional Vietnamese vermicelli bowl. Overall, I would recommend this restaurant! But if I was recommending to people who are familiar with Vietnamese food, I’d probably also tell them it’s slightly different from what they might expect.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
I LOVED the bbq pork banh mi. My brother’s rice and crispy chicken bowl was also stellar. Definitely worth stopping by for a quick bite!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
A great new Vietnamese spot to check out! If I'm ever craving Viet food, I usually have to drive all the way down to Dorchester, so I was happy to see a new face nearby.
I got the banh mi dac biet, which are the cold cuts, and am really happy with what I got. The baguette was big and there was a decent amount of meat and pickled veggies for the sandwich.
We ordered two banh mi (one per person), fried egg rolls (2 total), the bok choy, and we were STUFFED. Definitely want to come back and try some of the other dishes, along with their cocktails which looked and sounded delicious.
Recommend if you're craving good Vietnamese food that's closer by.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Fried Egg Rolls 2
I've been meaning to try Saigon Tiger for a while and I'm glad I did! This certainly won't be my last visit. It was a cozy, well-lit space for a pleasant weekday lunch.
The grilled okra ($7) was delicious. The okra was fresh and perfectly cooked with a slightly smoky flavor, complemented by an umami sesame oil soy sauce sauce. A simple but delicious dish.
The short rib steamed bun was yummy, with tender and well-seasoned short rib and fresh veggies. However, the green papaya salad lacked flavor, mostly tasting of acidity from the vinegar. I would've preferred more of an umami/savory flavor to complement the pickled vegetable flavor. Otherwise it was a light dish with a spicy kick.
The lemongrass chicken banh mi ($13) was very tasty, filled with tender chicken with a soy sauce curry flavoring and a hint of lemongrass. The portion size was good and I would definitely order it again.
Overall, I loved the flavors at Saigon Tiger and plan to return. I heard they are revamping the menu, potentially adding Vietnamese soups, which would be a great addition. I'll definitely be back for the banh mi and okra and look forward to trying their other offerings!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lemongrass Chicken
I love Thai food and came in looking for a tasty, flavorful lunch. I have been to Saigon Tiger twice now and have twice been disappointed but the flavors: apart from the protein that are « ok » seasoned, the rest is quite plain, with no herbs or peanuts to make this cold bowl of rice noodles more interesting. The sauce served on the side is watery and mostly made of vinegar - not the quality I expected from such a well rated place! Again, the food is just OK and convenient, but not worth the hype in my opinion. Great vibes in the restaurant itself though, and there is potential. But FLAVOR, please! 😊
