Gao comptoir vietnamien offers a focused menu centered on traditional Vietnamese staples characterized by fresh ingredients and bold aromatic profiles. Patrons encounter a selection of authentic noodle soups featuring complex, simmered broths alongside vibrant salads topped with carefully prepared herbs and proteins. The kitchen prioritizes precise flavor balancing through the inclusion of lime, chili, and fish sauce in every signature dish. Rice paper rolls serve as a hallmark offering, emphasizing crunchy vegetables and quality fillings that reflect standard culinary techniques from Southeast Asia. Efficient service defines the interaction at this establishment where diners quickly receive high-quality preparations crafted for those seeking genuine regional character. The interior provides a functional space that allows the bold textures and pungent scents of the cuisine to remain the central focus of every visit.
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Gao comptoir vietnamien is widely celebrated as a premier destination for authentic, high-quality Vietnamese cuisine in Quebec City. Guests consistently praise the flavorful and comforting pho, fresh ingredients, and generous portions, often highlighting the delicious broths and expertly prepared dishes like lemongrass pork, spring rolls, and bo kho. The restaurant is noted for its clean, aesthetic, and welcoming atmosphere, which provides a comfortable setting for both locals and tourists. Beyond the food, the service is frequently described as warm, attentive, and professional, with many reviewers specifically commending the friendly owner and staff for their hospitality, helpfulness, and engagement with families and children. With reasonable prices and a reputation for excellence, it is a highly recommended spot for anyone seeking a satisfying and memorable dining experience.
Tout simplement délicieux! Je suis une agente de bord & je suis restée 5 jours à Québec. J'y suis allé trois fois & ce fut un régal à chaque fois. La soupe pho & le bol de vermicelles avec boeuf & rouleaux sont mes « must »! C'est mon genre de « comfort food! »
We passed by this place couple times but finally decided to go in for some Vietnamese food. The owner is extremely nice & welcoming. As fellow Vietnamese, I'm giving 5/5 stars. The pho broth was flavorful & they use fresh rice noodle. The Vietnamese ice coffee is 💯. Really hit the spot. If I stayed longer, would have come back second time.
We ordered Mi Quang , Pho, & Grilled Pork with rice & it was the most delicious meal I had in days. The food was properly marinade & cooked. The service was friendly. We loved the relaxing atmosphere here. Great restaurant
Jan 7, 2026
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Had BBQ pho soup, rice paper spring roll, beef BBQ skewers & it was all super flavorless. I've been to a lot of Vietnamese restaurants & have never seen a fuchsia coloured piece of meat. The pho broth was watery & didn't taste rich or have any flavour depth. Saw the high reviews & had high hopes but was very disappointed.
Excellent repas avec ma conjointe : portions généreuses & saveurs remarquables. Service impeccable. Nous avons aussi pris les dumplings (non visibles sur la photo) - mon plat préféré. Le bouillon du pho était excellent également. Rien à redire, je recommande.
The best Vietnamese restaurant in town, we went there two times during our visit in Quebec. Their pork dumplings, pho, Mi quang, Mi Xa siu, meat dish are all pretty good. Highly recommended to all & family friendly too.
Been here few times, the beef Pho is awesome, perfect to eat during cold weather, the calamar fried is delicious as well & of course the owner very nice & welcoming😊
This was the worst dining experiences I've had.
We ordered very basic items: one pho, one bun, & one spring roll. The restaurant was not busy at all, yet the service was shockingly bad.
First, the pho was served without bean sprouts or lime, which are essential & standard accompaniments. Pho without these is simply incomplete. I have never seen a Vietnamese restaurant omit them unless requested.
Second, they completely forgot to serve our spring roll. When I politely informed the server that our dish was missing, she looked at me & ignored me, offered no apology, no explanation, & didn't say she would check or bring it out. She just walked away & continued doing her own things as if nothing was said. That level of indifference is unacceptable.
To make things worse, my water glass was empty for a long time, clearly visible, & no one bothered to refill it. We were consistently ignored despite trying to communicate politely.
Slow service can be tolerated. Mistakes can be forgiven. But a rude, dismissive attitude with zero accountability cannot.
There are many Vietnamese restaurants that respect their customers & understand basic service standards. This is not one of them.
I would strongly recommend going elsewhere.
With so many better Vietnamese options available, there is absolutely no reason to waste your time or money here.
C'est l'une des pires expériences de restaurant que j'ai eues.
Nous avons commandé des plats très simples : un pho, un bun & un rouleau impérial. Le restaurant n'était pas du tout achalandé, & pourtant le service était choquant de mauvais.
D'abord, le pho a été servi sans germes de soja ni lime, qui sont pourtant des accompagnements essentiels & standards. Un pho sans ces éléments est tout simplement incomplet. Je n'ai jamais vu un restaurant vietnamien les omettre sans que le client le demande.
Ensuite, ils ont complètement oublié de nous servir le rouleau impérial. Lorsque j'ai poliment informé la serveuse qu'un plat manquait, elle m'a regardé puis m'a ignoré, sans la moindre excuse ni explication, & sans même dire qu'elle allait vérifier ou apportez le plat. Elle est simplement partie continuer ses tâches comme si je n'avais rien dit. Ce niveau d'indifférence est inacceptable.
Pour aggraver la situation, mon verre d'eau est resté vide pendant longtemps, bien en vue, & personne ne s'est donné la peine de le remplir. Malgré nos tentatives de communication polies, nous avons été constamment ignorés.
Un service lent peut être toléré. Des erreurs peuvent être pardonnées.
Mais une attitude impolie, condescendante & sans aucune responsabilité ne l'est pas.
Il existe de nombreux restaurants vietnamiens qui respectent leurs clients & comprennent les bases du service.
Celui-ci n'en fait clairement pas partie.
Je recommande fortement d'aller ailleurs.
Avec autant de meilleures options vietnamiennes disponibles, il n'y a absolument aucune raison d'y perdre votre temps ou votre argent.
We chose GAO Vietnamese Restaurant based on its high reviews, but unfortunately our experience was extremely disappointing & stressful - especially for a family with children during the holidays.
The only positive was the restaurant's beautiful interior design. Everything else fell far short.
Upon arrival, we were never greeted. We eventually sat ourselves, waited 8 minutes before getting our own menus, then waited another 5-7 minutes before anyone came to take our order. We ordered 3 Beef Pho, 2 summer rolls, 1 bun cha gio, & 2 bubble teas (taro & matcha) for our kids.
Despite understanding it was the holidays & they appeared short-staffed, the service issues continued:
• No plates or flatware were provided - we had to get them ourselves
• Water finally arrived 10 minutes later, & the'hot' water was lukewarm at best
• Still no bubble tea
• Our appetizer (summer rolls) arrived with no plates
• Food arrived about 5 minutes later, but by then we had already been waiting 35+ minutes
The Beef Pho broth was lukewarm, to the point where the raw beef would not cook in the broth.
The bun cha gio had decent flavor, but the portion was unacceptable - I received only two thin slices of beef, each about half the size of my palm.
No sauces were brought for the pho - again, we had to retrieve them ourselves.
Right before we finished eating, my husband asked about the bubble teas we ordered at the very beginning. The cashier/server said,'It's coming.'
We waited another 10 minutes after finishing our meal because our kids were begging for them. Nothing came.
We finally went to pay. There was a line out the door, & while processing our payment, she suddenly handed us the bubble teas.
I told her politely,'We don't want them now - the kids wanted them with their meal.'
She rolled her eyes, said'Fine,' offered no apology, & continued the transaction.
That moment alone told us everything we needed to know.
I understand holiday rushes. I understand staffing issues.
What I don't understand is disrespect, indifference, & complete lack of accountability.
Even if this was a holiday issue, this level of service is unacceptable.
We would not return - even if it were the only restaurant open.
Overall, the experience was okay - a fairly average pho place.
Both the pho & the fresh rolls were decent but nothing particularly memorable.
Service was also average, acceptable but not especially attentive.
It's a reasonable option if you're nearby & looking for a simple Vietnamese meal, but probably not a place I'd go out of my way to visit.
4 stars overall, with room for improvement in both food & service.
