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THIS is what I've been looking for-- legit pho, at long last! I've searched all over the Cin-Day area for some decent pho, and this is the first place that has lived up to my expectations. The broth was flavorful and rich, with generous amounts of meat. For the record, I also tried my cousin's chicken teriyaki, and it was amazing... I'd go back there just to get that. I also wanted to try the banh mi, and they were out of beef that day so I got roasted pork. Ate it later at home, and again was very pleased, especially as compared to other banh mi I've had around here. The one-star review by the 'blogger' below almost makes me want to cry-- just ignore that. She obviously doesn't know what this cuisine is about, tried the wrong thing and slammed them hard over her personal pet peeves. This place is GREAT - try it!
As a bonus, the prices were extremely reasonable-- actually about half of what I've paid at other Vietnamese restaurants in this area for some truly terrible pho and mediocre banh mi. I've finally found a good one at a fair price.
The only real minor disappointment is what another reviewer mentioned... the lack of traditional Vietnamese coffee, cà phê sữa đá. That would make any meal here complete.
Nothing fancy here; just a small dining area with tables and chairs, which is fairly typical of most of the truly great pho places I've visited in other states.
I went to eat at Le's Pho and Sandwiches with a co-worker. She had the Pho, I had the Bahn Mi and spring rolls. The food was great and reasonably priced. You can see why it is so busy for lunch. The place is small, so if you are not getting it to go, you might need to plan on coming early or late. I will definitely be back!
Best Banh Mi in town! Often the most unassuming places have the best food and Le's Pho certainly qualifies. There Banh Mi is fantastic and a notch above other offerings around town. They warm your sandwich in a small convection oven which takes it to the next level. Great lunch bargain downtown and friendly staff!
7/10. Good place for a quick lunch. pho is good but not great but I would go here over pho lang thang if you are seeking pho in the downtown area.
This place is great. The food is always fresh and delicious. Not to mention the prices are very reasonable. It's great to support a family owned business. Especially a family this nice.
Great bargain. Great food. Great people. I had the Pork BahnMi today. Could have used a bit more cucumber and sauce but meat was cooked to perfection. Spring rolls left much to be desired but at such a food price it's not a big deal. It's everything I love about local food joints. No thrills, nothing fancy on the walls, just great, affordable food.
Two thumbs up. ONE FOR AUTHENTIC... ONE FOR PRICE :) you really cant get any more authentic than this.
Let them eat Pho. We’re lucky this place exists. Hear me out. I challenge you to google “Vietnamese restaurants in Cincinnati”. Finished? Ahhh, now you understand my proclamation of luck . And Le’s Pho doesn't just fill a culinary void, it’s also equal part deliciously authentic. The pho Mr. Bui serves you is the same pho Mr. Bui eats with his family. Now you just need to google directions to get there.
**Quick edit: At the time of this review, Le's Pho and Sandwiches is serving Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả as a Friday special. Most of you already indoctrinated to the beauty of Vietnamese food will cheer this. If you’re not familiar with “Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả”, then it’s back to google for you!**
This is the little "ethnic" hole-in-the-wall that your mother always told you about.. Definitely my favorite place to get lunch, and at $4 for a bahn mi, I doubt you'll find a better deal in the city. The pho isn't too bad either.
Banh mi. I love Le's cafe. I get their banh mi sandwich most of the time, but I've also tried a few of their other menu items. Their food is very reasonably priced and delicious.
I can eat over and over again. And still LOVE the food.
EVERYTHING I've had here was very good.
I've known Hai for 6+ years. He and his wife run a tight ship.
I'm going to put it out there and just say it: at $3.00, the banh mi at Le's Cafe is without a doubt the best lunchtime deal in downtown Cincinnati. Perhaps even within the city limits. I will be back again and again. If you're at the library around lunch time, go give Le's Cafe a look. They're nice, they make a hell of a sandwich, and it won't lighten your wallet much.
I totally got to eat here for free. I got the hook ups. Not really but very occasionally this whole thing pays off. I happen to know the owner's daughter so she invited me to their opening where they fed me everything. I do mean everything. I happened to eat the most of a banh mi sandwich which I loved. Their bread was very crusty and flaky. Delicious. The pho was delicious. It had steak and meatballs in it and was piping hot broth. I always love to customize mine with hoisin sauce, basil, jalapeno, lime and bean sprouts. I ate this pho on probably the hottest day in June. It was well worth it. I love the pho. I will eat it any time. Le's you may know from their former location in the library and in my opinion they've moved a couple blocks into a better location. They are on Court Street now with other wonderful lunch options (Tom Chee, It's Just Crepes, Avril-Bleh, Servatii's). They're near the Kroger building and the county building. It's worth it to renew your driver's license here
Today I had lunch with a co-worker who introduced me to Le's Cafe . Don't try looking for them on the street or even finding them on the web because they aren't there. The only way you will find them is if you are hungry for knowledge and want to read som
Very recently I was introduced to a culinary secret most public library regulars have enjoyed for years. I'd recently read about Banh Mi, a Vietnamese sandwich being served in a little place inside the Main Library downtown.
Why Should You Go? Lauren and Matt both got the Banh Mi sandwich and loved it - they dove in before I could even take pictures of it! A lot of other patron's had the pho - so I'm sure that was good too. I think Le's has a great future in downtown Cincinnati and at the prices - a lot of people will be heading in their doors! Good luck!
I don't know that I've ever met a banh mi I didn't like. However, the granddaddy- er, mama- of banh mi in Cincinnati is not at Pho Lang Thang, but instead at the teeny-tiny cafe in the main branch of the Public Library, Le's Cafe. The place is really small- if you don't look for it, you could easily miss it- but easy to find if you're looking. Just find the Friends of the Public Library store and walk past, and you'll be right there. Le's Cafe offers some American fare, like chicken sandwiches and hot dogs, but also offers Asian dishes, like lo mein, pot stickers, and crab rangoon. What they're known for is the banh mi, and they had it last Saturday. I love the Public Library- in case you can't tell- and stopped by only to return a book, but ended up in the Friends store. They sell books (and gifts) there all year long, and I ended up scoring a copy of the
Charming interior and kind service. Bahn mi was delicious. New favorite lunch spot.
Great food great prices. Also the family that owns the restaurant are very kind people. They serve a free meal on thanksgiving and make you feel like family. When say prices are great I mean they are the most affordable place in downtown Cincinnati. They also remember your face and I believe truly care about people
I had never tried Pho before Le's. It was very interesting and pretty tasty, though I'm not sure it's really "my thing." It would definitely be something my wife would enjoy though so we will be returning and I'm going to try another dish. The prices were incredibly reasonable and it seemed to be getting busy when we were in around lunchtime. Very convenient to the courthouse and just off the streetcar line.
The Best Pho around hands down. The broth is to be worshiped. Absolutely amazing. Wrapped to order spring rolls, does not get any fresher. The family that runs it are truly kind and genuine people. Childhood flashback...remember that feeling in your gut when you were in the car on the way to Kings Island?..this is the felling that is awoken on the walk to Le's.
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When small restaurants say "We're out of that..." I get excited... it means that the kitchen is turning food, that food is fresh, and that item is popular. Le's was out of the Bun, so I had the Pho. It was...
...Excellent. Self described 'hole in the wall', the chalk board menus and open kitchen with fresh spring rolls being rolled, and greens being plated are a refreshing approach to the $6 lunch, Cincinnati south Asian food, and palate-pleasing casual fare. This town needs more flavor-first restaurants like this that are cheap, friendly and delicious.
While south Asian competitors Wild Ginger, Tan Thai, Lemon Grass, and Teak offer $3 of taste and $10 of ambiance, Le's Pho and Sandwiches maximizes the $/taste, and lets you fret about the ambiance of one of Court Street's best kept secrets. Don't get me wrong, Le's is clean, the family-staff are incredibly friendly (they taught me to pronounce Pho correctly), and the food was fresh - but you are not paying for carpets and table linens here. The Pho is authentic and amazing, equal to the quality of the best Vietnamese districts in North Philly and Chicago. I had Chicken Pho, accompanied with sprigs of mint, bean sprout, cilantro and slices of jalapeno. I would have ordered the Bun, but by 1:30pm, they had run out (see paragraph 1) and I will be back early next time to try it.
Try it, you will love it.
-Samir
The food is fresh and service is great. I'm vegan and the younger woman offered the tofu noodle bowl. It was splendid and when I asked for a side of cilantro they gave me a TON, which I ate it all. Lots of food too I ate most of it there and the rest for breakfast the next day I couldnt wait!
The pho and egg rolls are fantastic. Broth has great flavor and those egg rolls... mm m m m. Not a lot of seating but have noticed while I was there that most folks got their food to go. The family that owns/runs the place are friendly.
Their pho is the best in the city hands down (and I have tried other places). Something so comforting about finding a great soup that I'm always in the mood for even when it is 95° outside! I usually order take out from Le's Pho once a week and every time I call the younger woman that works there knows my order just by my voice. It's hard to find places that make you feel like your business is important to them and they always remember their regulars! I recommend Le's Pho to everyone I know and have gotten a few others just as addicted as I am.
After having tried the majority of the competition, this is my favorite Cincinnati Vietnamese restaurant in terms of both the food and the staff. The beef pho was the best I've ever had anywhere - their beef melts in your mouth and isn't leathery like the beef most pho places serve. The staff are all incredibly nice too. Give this place a try!
If you're not careful you'll miss it! Small humble establishment that packs a big punch. I ordered their chicken Bahn Mi ($5) and I was not disappointed. Although the inside could you use a major update, I will without question be back.
Went there for lunch on a Friday. Got there at 11:45 and easily found a table and ordered right away. By 12:15 the tables were full (there are only about 8 tables) and there was a line to order. Got the tofu bahn mi and it was excellent. The bread was darn near perfect. And somehow it was only $4. Take cash, I'm pretty sure that's all they take. Will go back.
This place is amazing!! The staff are super friendly, service is quick and polite. Your portions are huge and price is cheap. The Beef Pho and Spring rolls were delicious!!
I have tried pho only once before and because of that experience I wasn't sure I would like Le's. However, I was looking for a cheap place for lunch and Le's was highly recommended, so I decided to give pho a second chance. I ordered the regular beef pho, paid my $6 and carried it back to my office. There I enjoyed one of the best lunches I've had in quite some time! The pho was hot and full of flavors that blended extremely well together and the serving was more than generous! If you like Chinese food, but have never had Vietnamese pho, this is the place to get it! I will definitely be back!
Like one reviewer said, $/taste is excellent here. I work in OTR and walk there 3-4 times per week. It's convenient, fast, and always good.
I've had a lot of viet food and really like how they do the Banh Mi sub, Spicy Chicken with Rice/Noodles and Pho.
Hidden gem in Cincinnati, family owned. The food is excellent. The owners are friendly and kind. Doesn't look like much from the outside, or the inside for that matter. However the prices are great and the food is authentic and delicious!
Good Pho at a reasonable price. The only complaint is the beef seemed tough. Perhaps is cooked before hand and not allowed to cook in the broth. Otherwise the broth and noodles were great.
The sandwiches here are to die for. AMD they're only 5 dollars. You cannot beat that. They're also really fast so if you're in a hurry, this is a great place to come. I haven't tried their pho yet but I've heard that it's really good too!
I come here at least twice a week. The pho is immaculate and the pork bahn mi is my everything. The family that owns it runs it and they are always friendly and smiling. A little hole in the wall place but truly a Cincinnati gem.
We had lunch here with a group of eight us. Service and food is top-notch. Vietnamese family owned and operated. Mother's own recipes. The bagette bread is the best ever!!
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