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Category: Vietnamese [Edit]
Neighborhood: Allston/BrightonHarvard Avenue (Green)
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I like Le's. The food is always delicious. Also, when I am sick and I order the soup, I asked for chopped garlic to put in and they always give me lots of extra garlic (which makes the soup a super healing food). You have to ask for the free hot tea, but when you do you get it. The service varies depending on how busy they are but everyone is always nice and helpful. Whenever I have lunch with my best friend she says, "Let's go to the noodle place." which is code for Le's. I've gone with out of towners and they were shocked when the bill came, "How could it possibly be this cheap." and I say, "Because we're in Allston."
Good stuff!
Incredibly consistent, good pho. I first came here on the advice of a friend. Actually, I joined her! It didn't take us long to order. All three of us got the pho ga, or chicken pho. The waiter brought over a tray of add-ins - bean sprouts, limes, Thai basil, hoisin sauce, sriracha, chili paste and flakes. Our drinks soon followed. Two beers and an egg soda.
Keep in mind, the broth is delightful. Well, I had to compete with my Asian friend, who added everything, especially hots. Oh, a li'l bit of hoisin sauce for sweetness. Woohoo, did that kick it up a notch! SO hot... a chilled Anchor Steam ale helped calm my taste buds. I've also had:
- pho dac biet... beef with tendon and tripe. Add some hoisin and sriracha. You're golden.
- shrimp toast... toast is deep fried. Dip in a sweet sauce. Meh, not for me.
- egg soda... egg yolk, condensed milk and soda. Mmm, good
- beer... poured in a tall, frosty glass in front of you. Nice
Bottom Line: Go. Bring company. Pho's done right.
TOTALLY RAD!!
Vietnamese food is not something I'm very enthusiastic about, especially right before getting piss-drunk on a Sunday night watching the Colts-Pats game... but it actually turned out pretty good.
Right before I smashed a few beer cans on my head, I was at Le's, chuggin the mush I made out of my Grilled Shrimp Vermicelli dish, adding the sweet orange-y sauce they gave me with it. Man, it was DEEEEELISH! All the shrimp were perfectly season and had a nice crunch to it, and the pho my friend ordered (with beef and noodles) was incredibly hearty (I think I ended up eating half of her soup).
But to my disappointment, THERE WAS MINT EVERYWHERE!!! When our spring rolls came out, there was f*cking mint sliced up in it, pissing me off! When I got my dish, there was f*ucking mint chipped up in it!
I HATE MINT, YOU PUNKS!
YOU TRYING TO KILL ME??
Anyway, so I finished my meal and headed to Blanchard's in an alcoholic frenzy and it ended up being a great night, with the Colts winning and all.
I once went to get a pedicure in Brighton and the Vietnamese ladies there all implored me to try Le's for pho, claiming "You know it's a good Vietnamese restaurant when real Vietnamese people go there!"
So, I went, I ate, I left, and I was happy.
You get a HUGE bowl of pho with all the different "cuts" of meat for like $8 and everything else is $6.50 and under. And being poor law students, yummy and cheap is always a plus. We also saw someone order bubble tea, so I guess they serve that there too.
My dinner companion said that he prefers Pasteur's (in Chinatown) for pho, but we theorized that they were both owned by the same people since we saw the Pasteur name on one of the Le's menus. So I think if you live in Allston/Brighton and need a good pho fix, this is it.
My white friend who loves all things Asian came with me to this place last night for a veritable feast.
If you read nothing else, please note this! DO NOT park in the Rite Aid parking lot as we saw many tow trucks taking cars away!
What we did was drive around for 25 minutes trying to find a place and finally found by Kayuga, which was a good mile walk. Not bad to work up our appetite!
We were seated right away and since we already salivated over the online menu earlier in the day, our orders were taken quickly. We started with the beef spring rolls. The wrapper was soft but not sticky and the veggies inside were crisp and fresh. The beef added a great chewiness and the peanut sauce was clutch. He also got the sparkling limeade and I got the mango bubble tea - I liked the tapioca pearls but after awhile it got old and I ended up just drinking the thick shake.
Our medium bowls of pho came out , to which we added lime, bean sprouts, basil, and a healthy quirt of sriracha. SO GOOD. I mean like hit the spot, right on the money, exactly what I wanted good. The broth was delightful! The Vietnamese fried rice was also delicious but the real star was the pho.
We split the check and it was surprisingly cheap for how gorged/swollen our bellies felt. We even got the fried rice to go but forgot it when we left, then walked back to get it and the lady came to meet us at the door. So sweet!
It's really a toss up between Pho Viet and here. The parking is worse but you do get the restaurant feel...
I have been coming to this place since I was a sophomore in college. That was a really long time ago and this place was called "Pho Pasteur".
I was broke and a vegetarian and my ESL students (from, you guessed it, Vietnam) recommended this place. I have been coming back there ever since.
That was like 1994 or 1995 :)
My best pal in college and I would have competitions to see if we could eat until full under $20 (with tip and drinks). We were Harvard undergrads at the time (not the rich kind, I can assure you) and we managed it here ever single time. To this day, this same friend and I (he has moved to that OTHER big city int he Northeast) celebrate ALL our birthday dinners here.
I love the soup, I love the vermicelli, I love the tofu (omg what a wonderful find for a vegetarian), I eat the peanut sauce with a soup spoon, and I can drink a gallon of the lime aid.
It fed me when I was poor. It feeds me now that I am not so broke, not at all vegetarian, and there is NOTHING on this earth better when you are sick than a huge, spicy, heaping, steamy bowl of pho.
To say this place is consistent is an understatement.
A haven for the cash-strapped collegiate, Le's serves the finest Pho in Boston, hands-down. Growing up in Portland, Oregon among many Vietnamese friends, I was exposed to the most authentic Pho to be had in America, prepared by Vietnamese families that had recently moved to the west coast from Vietnam. Le's Pho is just as good, if not better, and exceptionally consistent.
I would recommend anyone who enjoys Pho to order extra eye of round on the side next time, raw (just say "extra beef on the side"). It's only $2 more, and that way you can achieve medium-rare temps in the beef in the soup.
I am not familiar with the rest of the menu, but I give Le's 5 stars for the Pho alone.
#34! I love Bun! Love it. I order shrimp paste on sugar cane vermicelli (Bun Chao Tom) all the time. At all different restaurants so I can compare. And their bun is great! I always ask for extra fish sauce because it is so damn good. The fish sauce permeates the whole dish and balances really well against the sweetish shrimp paste.
Overall the portions are huge so you really get your money's worth. But the bun for $9 is a great deal anyway. The appetizers are great too! I love to get spring rolls and crush them on my Bun so I get a mix f textures. but their fresh springs rolls with peanut sauce is great too. Everything is really fresh.
Service is great too. They work really well as a tea but their are times their quickness in getting the food out can be funny. It can be a bit tricky when you ask your waiter for more water, he leaves, a different guy brings your meal over and sees your are low on water and he leaves to get more, just then your waiter comes over with water... you get the picture. But extra water is not so bad in the big scheme of things.
Oh my. It seems that there are plenty of reviews for Le's but I'm going to add my two cents anyway.
I have been eating at this place since they were Pho Pasteur and have always loved it. Since they switch to Le's the menu has expanded and there is a bottle of Sriracha on every table. The soups are great, the hubby LOVES the chicken curry, But the true gem is the #34 shrimp paste on vermicelli. So so good. The shrimp paste is cooked on sugar cane which adds a bit of sweetness. It is served over perfectly cooked vermicelli with fresh shredded lettuce and bean sprouts. mmmmmm so delicious.
The service can be spotty and the decor isn't much to look at but the food is great and the prices are absurdly cheap for the amount of food you get. For me, that is enough to carry the place and earn 4 stars.
My favorite affordable place to eat. I've been a huge fan for years...It's quick, delicious, and cheap! I like the one on Brighton Ave but the Harvard Square one is decent too. The broth can be more oily at some locations like the Atrium mall location (where they also make you pay for tea :P)
The Brighton location has good broth that's tasty but light. They always gives you fresh sprouts and limes with your pho. I usually get the chicken or beef noodle soup and add vegetables on the side for additional $2. It's filling but not bad for you, and perfect for warming up on cold winter days.
I also recommend the summer rolls with peanut sauce as a great appetizer.
Other menu items: Smoothies are decent, other non-soup noodles are tasty, and even their fried rice is really good :)
Oh, come on Le's. Your too good for words. /End
Nothing warms up my stomach and cures a cold gloomy day like a bowl of Pho. The hot soup, all kinds of beef, tendon and tripe plus the rice noodles all made perfect by raw bean sprouts, basil and lime. It's like a hug of loving arms, thick, heavy but smooth and natural, always seems a little too much but you cannot get enough of it at the same time.
The fresh spring rolls and the crispy spring rolls are both good. I also like the shrimp toast and shrimp paste on sugar cane. Once or twice I had their soy drink and the avocado smoothie, they were both delicious although a bit pricy.
I am not a big fan of Pho. Part of that stems from the fact that I am a vegetarian.
THIS PLACE IS STILL AWESOME!
I ordered the spring role vermicelli and extra vegetarian spring rolls because they were that good.
The peanut sauce is the bee's knees.
They don't get annoyed when you ask for more either.
They get 5 stars because their portions are huge, you really get the most for your money
Their waiters/waitresses are super courteous and attentive.
My boyfriend raves about their beef special.
They have plenty of seating and they are open late.
Pho lovers, make sure you go to this place, it is the epitome of GREAT Vietnamese food.
My recent discovery of Pho has been like the discovery of Christ for others. How have I lived so long without knowing the way? How can I tell others about this and let them in on my newfound source of happiness?
Being introduced to this unbelievably satisfying and delicious form of food has made everything in life better. I am not exaggerating.
My boyfriend brought me to Pho and since I am pretty sure he has had Pho in every possible location-his rave of this one is worth noting. We go on average once a week for the cheap bowls of heaven and coconut smoothies, as well as spring rolls that are a vegetarian's savior.
Him: x-large bowl of Beef Pho Me: small bowl of Chicken Pho. Sometimes I eat chicken-don't judge.
Both: satisfied to the core.
Must say, that when I was on the verge of dying from a hangover (multiple occassions)Pho has come to the rescue and never failed. Adding a Vietnamese style ice coffee just seals the deal.
Rooster sauce, a bowl of Pho with sprouts and the most attentive and sweet waitstaff make this place ideal for a lazy Sunday meal or (as I just found out) a hopping Saturday night meal out.
Right off the green line too, so truly I have no complaints.
Love this place- love the spring rolls. BF gets the quail all the time- its delicious too. And the pho is sooo good! I always get the pho with flank. love the broth.
I know a lot of people get the shrimp toast too- but i find it a little too greasy although I do take a bite or two sometimes when friends order it and is very good.
My only complaint- is that it could be cleaner, like they should renovate the place. but I still come back always!
This review is going to be short and sweet......
Pho. That's really all you need to know. Let's just say I'm not a huge Pho-aholic like some Yelpers are, but I came here twice in the same week.
Yes.... I liked it that much. Oh, and it's inexpensive. Nuff said.
I'm from California and just recently came to boston for a visit. And because of the reviews here on yelp i went and tried le's for lunch.
I wasn't expecting anything amazing, just a good, quick, cheap place to eat for lunch. let me first say that, if I'm going to eat VIETNAMESE food, I'd like it to be made by VIETNAMESE people. I'm not a 100%, but I don't think the people working at the time I ate were vietnamese.
The food, not delicious and they try to present the food in a "gourmet" style, which annoyed me quiet a bit, because it wasn't very "gourmet" at all. The pho is not the greatest I've ever had and I definitely wouldn't compare it to heaven. And the fried rice is.. the only word I could use to describe it is CRAP. The "Banh Xeo" is bad.
and my last note, the person I went with, we had a fight of sorts and we both just payed and stomped out because we could stand the sight of each other anymore. and I'm sorry, yes, we didn't tip. we get in the car and I hear a knock on the window. the waiter walked all the way out to to show us the receipt telling us "the the tip isn't included in the price." He walks away for the curb and walks to the front of the restaurant waiting outside. I know its polite to leave a tip, but I don't remember it being mandatory thing? and of course we drove away.
In conclusion, this place is not at all even close to being good or being authentic Vietnamese food. I've lost some trust in yelp.... maybe Boston just has some different standards....
I don't come here as often as I should but it doesn't change the fact that it's an excellent place to go when you need your Vietnamese fix!
It's cheap and delicious which are two important qualities that I look for in a restaurant, haha.
Oh, and definitely try the Shrimp Toast. I feel that it really sets Le's apart from all the other Vietnamese cuisine places ;)
As far as Pho goes, this place is perfectly acceptable, but nothing more. Definitely better than Lemongrass on Harvard in Brookline. The service was fast. The broth flavorful enough, the noodles the right consistency, the portion (got the medium) pretty large. It was a bit skimpy on the meat. I ordered a combo bowl (#15), and I counted only one piece each of rare steak and tendon, which are my favorites. Go here if you happen to be in the area and hungry, but don't consider it a destination.
What was once Pho Pasteur is now known as Le's. There's a good chance I hadn't been back here till now since it had adopted its new moniker, but it's not from a lack of wanting to.
Anyhow, tonight's gathering pleasantly brought me back to its familiar surroundings, cold shakes, and quick entrees. I might have the name wrong, but I have a soft spot for three color ice, which could be known as either a dessert or a drink. Le's version was tasty, but tonight was a little chunky on the yellow mung bean and the ice cubes. It could have also used a bit more liquid to make it more of a drink and less dessert/food.
The pork chop on rice came with a side salad garnish and two pork chops. I love it when the pork is nicely browned and caramelized... mmmmm... But the fish sauce seemed a little light on the flavor this time around. Portions-wise, I ate just over half my meat and rice, and all the veggies on the plate. But don't forget, I also had the beans and the agar from my 3 color ice taking up space in my tummy.
Our waiter was a little preoccupied as he took our order, but as the evening progressed, he became friendlier and more responsive despite the fact that the restaurant got more busy.
Parking can be tough, so head over a little early if you want to be on time.
Food plus drink plus tip/tax rounded up: $14
To be honest, I've only ever had the Pho and that's probably all I'll ever have. It's the perfect meal when I'm on the mend, and it's amazing every time.
The chicken pho was light and delicious. Unlike with beef pho, where you have 30 seconds to eat before the scalding hot liquid renders the eye-round cut as tough as shoe leather, the chuncks of chicken breast in the chicken pho remained tender, juicy, and flavorful for every bite.
Le's chicken pho + a squirt of sriracha = heaven, and at $6.95 a bowl, it's guilt-free for both your wallet and your waistline. YUMMY!
Also, the service was lightning fast, even faster than Super 88, so if you need a quick bite, this is definitely the place to go.
Minus a star because my friend's said the bubbles in their boba were bad.
::makes sounds of delightful content::
Mmmm... hmmm.. mmmrrrrmmm.....
::slurp::slurp::
*dips beef brisket in hoisin sauce and cocksauce and shoves in mouth*
*picks up more noodles with chopsticks and shoves noodles in mouth*
*laps up some more soup*
Mmmmrrrhmmmm.....
*puts down soup spoon in left hand and picks up egg soda*
*takes a sip*
Ahhhhh.....
*continues eating pho noodles and slurps up some more soup, brisket, noodles, bean sprouts, basil, hoisin sauce, and cocksauce concoction until bowl is empty*
*Pulls out wallet and puts down $15 for the large soup, egg soda, tax, and tip*
*Walks away content with a big goofy smile on face*
Five reasons to like Le's:
1. The pho is yummy
2. The bowl of yummy pho is HUGE!
3. The huge bowl of yummy pho is cheap!
4. The huge bowl of yummy pho is cheap and served super fast
5. The service of the cheap, huge bowls of yummy pho is also super friendly!
If that's not enough, the regular menu items are also really good. I don't think I've ever had a meal that I didn't leave completely content.
and if THAT's not enough, well, you're just too high maintenance for Allston ;)
Ok, so I didn't try to oft-raved-about Pho, but I did try some Bun (vermicelli) topped with shrimp, pork, and a cut-up spring roll. It was a hearty portion and very flavorful, even without being doused in nuoc cham (fish sauce). Traditionally, the noodles are served room temperature, so I opted to heat mine up some more in the microwave. Perfect dinner on a slightly chilly, rainy summer evening. Filling, but not too heavy.
I've also tried the "pad thai" which is not really pad thai, but still tasty. There are peanuts, but other vegetables and meat not traditionally found in the classic Thai dish (red and green peppers, broccoli, green beans, pork, beef).
But why would you order pad thai at a Vietnamese restaurant anyway? That's just silly.
When I come to Le's, I'm craving a big bowl of pho. Either I'm cranky, I'm getting sick, am sick, getting better, or just hungry. There's never a time I don't feel like pho.
This location is heads and shoulders better than the Le's in the Atrium Mall.
Soda lemonade, vietenamese coffee, bun, and pho all get the heads up here. As well as the egg crepe thingy with the bean sprouts inside.
However, the last two visits, I've had to fish out quite a bit of the meat from my pho, b/c it was extremely fatty. Otherwise, I'd give 4 stars. Hopefully, they'll redeem themselves next time. Because, of course, I'll keep going back.
This is a great restaurant to hit up if you're a noodle fan. Serious noodle-age to the extreme. You will receive "decent" stomach-bloating portions.
Use hot sauce in liberal amounts and be creative with what you order. Try a wacky beverage like "Soda Xi Muoi".
I recommend Le's to those looking to try something unique in the Asian dining sector.
Service was fairly fast and atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. A refreshingly different (and filling) cuisine. Kick arse!
Le's Restaurant is about 10x better than its sister restaurant over in Chinatown (Pho Pasteur), and not just because it's in my hood and I don't have to trek all.the.way to Chinatown just for some delicious Pho.
After Joe's brother's art show, a group of us decided (ok, I decided) that we were going to have Pho for dinner. It was fairly late for dinner (about 9:00PM) but the place was still alive! It's bigger than I thought it would be, with plenty of tables for big parties such as us.
Their Thai Iced Tea is some of the best I've had. It almost tasted like there was ice cream in it! The boba was a nice consistency, not too squishy, not too hard, just right.
And now, onto the Pho. Large veggie pho with yellow noodles, OF COURSE. Some of the best broth I've had ever. I could have seriously drank all of it, which I almost never do, since I get too full and usually it isn't worth it. But this broth was amazing! There was a nice assortment of vegetables too, from squash, snow peas, snap peas, carrots, the elusive baby corn, and even some zucchini in the mix. The yellow noodle was in abundance, the cock sauce was flowing, major slurping was happening.
Prices are cheap, cheap, cheap! The Bubble Tea is a bit on the expensive side, but it's delicious, so it is very much worth it. Joe and I paid about $20 for Pho and Thai Iced Tea. I like it :)
By the time I was done, I was ready to curl up and go to bed. Delicious. I'll be coming back here A.LOT. Top 5 Pho places for me!
The pho here is pretty good but there are some other awesome things to eat here that you might want to try when you're in the mood for something other than deliciously hot beef noodle soup. For instance, right now its summertime and you might want something light and crisp. I like:
- Sashimi Bi Bim Bap which is mackerel, tuna, salmon, yellow tail cubed up and sitting atop a bed of rice with lots of vegetables with a red red red korean hot sauce on the side.
- Bun with Beef or Chicken which is vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, lettuce, carrots, topped with mint and basil and succulent and crispy meat. Comes with fish sauce on the side.
- Limeade is delicious!
I am extremely mad at myself for living in Allston for almost two years and never going to Le's until recently. The only Pho I had ever had was from Pho and I when I was in college. Wow, how foolish I had been!
I still can't get over how mind-boggling fast the service was. I mean I'm sure it doesn't take that long to prep in the first place, but I feel like our soups came out minutes after we ordered. I'm getting ahead of myself though. First came our drinks. I ordered a thai iced tea with boba, and it was not what I expected... it was like ten times better!! It was like a milkshake! I would normally never order one, but it was a total treat! So rich, creamy and flavorful. Not too frozen either. I actually wished I hadn't ordered it with boba because the balls were too big and frozen hard (get your mind out of the gutter) to be sucked up the straw (wow there is no way to not make that sound dirty). I think my eyes bugged out of my head on the first sip, but I then understood why it was a little pricey.
Now onto the soup. I don't know too much about Pho, but this was the best I have had so far! The ingredients were so fresh and the broth was so flavorful. Not too salty at all and with plenty of meat. One of my dining companions got her's with vegetables and it looked to die for. But i was satisfied with my own! So many noodles cooked to perfection and plenty of broth to go around. Its practically a steal at under $7 a bowl.
Service was prompt but not all that friendly and the dining room has definitely seen better days, but I would come back in a heartbeat!
Hey! They have boba tea! Mmhmm. It's a wee bit expensivo, but I liked it all the same.
I always eat the beef soup #17 (I think it's 17...) when I go to Le's. It's the bee's knees, kid.
The ladies I talked to when I called my order in and picked up were really nice. I called while driving towards the store down comm ave, pulled up and the food was waiting for us, piping hot. Pissah.
I love Le!
Lots of options for wheat-free dining, all of them delicious! Also much better, cheaper, and more predictable than the Harvard Square location. Occasionally slow service, but all the servers have been very good about responding to questions about menu ingredients. Everything is good, but I love the fresh limeade, the pho, and the lemongrass chicken. The crispy spring rolls have rice wrappers instead of the usual wheat wrappers, too. Yum!
I can't lie--my experience with the entire menu is pretty limited, but that's credit to the amazing pho this place serves up in pretty much any variety you could think of. The straight pho ga (chicken noodle soup) is amazing, I think it's better than the more popular beef soup (depends how you feel about tripe). Even if you go just for the pho and nothing else, as I've been doing for a long (probably too long) time, this place is a gem amongst the ethnic restaurants found in Allston.
I LOVE THIS PLACE!!
The curry chicken is delicious and affordable.
Good, cheap food. Just what the heart craves. I had the veggie fresh spring rolls - they were ok, nothing to write home about. I think the Vietnamese place in Super 88 has better veggie spring rolls.
Howevah, the Lemongrass Tofu was a whole different story. It was perfectly seasoned, the tofu wasn't dreadfully greasy or insipid, the HEAPING mound ensured I had enough for lunch the next day *purrs in lazy delight*
Friend had the beef pho, which she pronounced delish. Will definitely go back - maybe for pho this time!
I hadn't been to Le's for years; the last time we were there, it was still called Pho Pasteur. A few weeks ago I went back with the hubby and his brother; they wanted to watch a game later that night so we figured we could do dinner at Le's and then pool/sports at Big City across the street afterward.
The food wasn't as good as we remembered from the past; I had tofu vermicelli and the hubby had beef pho. The service was also a bit slow even though the place wasn't ultra busy.
Great Pho-the best place to go on a cold or rainy day. Relatively inexpensive.
I was taken here by a friend and I'm glad I went. The food was fresh and not over-cooked. I loved the cabbage/salad. Not sure if I liked the chicken, but I really enjoyed the pineapple tofu dish. I may go back as the location is easy to get to.
Le's was formerly Pho Pasteur. The food is just as great with the new name.
Every time I'm there I try a new dish. The portions are quite generous, while the pricing is reasonable.
The staff is usually quite attentive, even when the restaurant is busy.
They can sometimes go a bit heavy on the garlic (like in the Pad Thai I ordered on Thursday) but the food is still quite tasty.
I can't leave without having a delicious Mango bubble tea.
I highly recommend you check out this restaurant when you're visiting Brighton Ave.
I must say the pho here was phabulous. One glance at their huge menu, I was having some seriously phantasies about what to order, when my phriend said to me, "You have to get the pho. It's what their phamous phor. Look around." Sure enough, he was right - everyone was having pho! I opted for the seaphood with white noodles and we ordered spring rolls, too. Mmmmm. The peanut sauce was pretty good and the rolls were stuffed with vegetable goodness. But the pho...oh the phoooo. Huge, steaming bowls of meat, vegetables and noodles all phor $7.50! The servers where attentive and phriendly, too. I'll definitely head back here phor my pho phix!
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Vietnamese
Chestnut Hill, MA
Category: Vietnamese
Boston, MA
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Category: Thai
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