Mai Village

We like Vietnamese food, but not here. The place was dirty and the food very bad. Our waiter was fine for the establishment. We will not be back. SO disappointing. Pros: easy parking Cons: food more

It is an age old debate - which is more important in a dining experience, the food or the service. The Chef in me would like to think it is the food however, after this experience there is no way the food could ever make up for the absolutely horrific service. To start, we stood at the hostess stand for several minutes before the ""hostess"" (who turned out to be out waitress) finally noticed us and begrudgingly showed us to a table. I should note that the table was bare - no place settings, no condiments, nothing - it was only when our food was about to come out that we received a placemat and silverware. Our waitress disappeared for a while and returned about 10+ minutes later to take our drink order - thank God it was happy hour and we received 2 for 1's since we were never offered another drink. When we went to order we were all planning on having the 7 course beef meal, but were told we couldn't have it since there was a special event that night. Don't you think you could have mentioned that you wouldn't be serving your signature meal when you seated us 20 minutes ago?). Another waiter delivered all of our food which was good but not outstanding. We saw the waitress twice more - once she walked by quickly when we were almost done eating and asked if everything was OK (a little late) and the second time was about 15 minutes after we finished eathing when she dropped off the bill (note: our plates weren't cleared when we were done and she never came back to collect the bill, so lucky for us we had cash). To sum it up the whole experience was inhospitable. Instead of feeling welcome, we felt like we were crashing their private party and being an inconvienance. In a city that has several good Vietnamese restaurants, I'd suggest trying one of them instead of Mai Village. Pros: Decent food Cons: Service may be the worst in the Twin Cities more

ai Village is my favorite restaurant in Minnesota. Back in the day I went to their old restaurant all of the time just for the food, but now that they have built the new store it is even better! The new store is gorgeous. I love the atmosphere, the little pond at the entrance, the friendly staff You must go here if you are in the area. Ask for the hot and spicy beef (it usually isnt on the menu but they have it is you ask) and for their fresh spring rolls. Or, if you want a change and something unique, ask for one of the mini-grills for the center of your table to cook your own food. Pros: Great Atmosphere more

From the outside this literal box of a building on the corner of bustling University and Western doesn't look like much. There's no dive charm or overtly ethnic design. But like a clam holding onto a shiney pearl - it's what's inside that counts. Let's be honest, you've had food of this quality before. It's not average but there have been plenty of nights when the take out from down the block tastes the same or better. What you haven't had was a complete transformation of place. Every detail in the gorgeous dining room has been addressed. From the carved dark wood chairs to the silk menus - everything just feels more beautiful. Even the 5 year old pair of jeans and paint splattered shirt you are wearing - though you may want to fancy it up just a bit for evenings at the Village. Pros: Ambience, ambience, ambience Cons: Slow, if well-intentioned, service more

perty good food Pros: 7 course-beef. Cons: some rudeness? yes, some rudeness more

This may be the most beautiful and authentic restaurant in all of the Twin Cities. There is a stream in the restaurant complete with a bridge and fish, and hand-crafted Asian art throughout. Pros: Decor, atmosphere, food Cons: Location (not the best neighborhood), service more

WOW. The minute my friends took me to this place I was amazed that I had driven past before and not known how beautifully decorated a restaurant this was inside. We had some great meals, but most importantly their selection of wine is outstanding for such a restaurant, the servers are very versed in the meals and will give you suggestions too. Pros: Atmosphere, big dining area for groups more

To start, we ordered fried shrimp, beef wrapped around onion wedges, and egg rolls. I won't describe the shrimp in detail, since I just said I'm not a fan of seafood. I'm not sure if beef-wrapped onion wedges are typical Vietnamese fare or if this is a Mai Village specialty. Whatever, it doesn't matter because those little things were delicious and I could have ordered two platefuls just for my entree. The beef was fairly tender, not too chewy (one of my pet peeves when it comes to beef), and sautéed with just the right amount of juices. Mmm. The beef itself was, you guessed it, wrapped around sliced onions. Not too chunky, not too flimsy. Pros: food, variety of choice, decor more

Love the French influenced Vietnamese food, such as beef and potatoes. Quality and authentic dishes are reminisent of Kim Long's, one of the 1st and best Vietnamese restaurants in St Paul, circa 1980. Pros: good parking, festive, authentic decor more

It is unfortunate that there are some bad reviews for Mai Village here. Though it is good that if someone experienced bad service to publish it, that is a huge pet peeve of mine. However, when I went to Mai Village in 2005 I had a wonderful time. The Ambience of the restaurant was like going back to Asia, it really was beautiful. The food was very fresh and tasty also, with lots of variety. The service could be better, however I experienced decent service rating it an average rating. I liked the restaurant so much I went a month later with my boyfriend so he could see the place. Do try it at least once! more

My wife and I tried out Mai Village tonight because City Pages rated it the #1 Vietnamese restaurant for 2005. We did not understand why this place would have even been in the running. The food was mediocre, at best, the service was terrible and we had dirty silverware/plates. We should have walked out. There are many good Vietnamese restaurants in the Twin Cities, but this is not one of them. Cons: rude servers, dirty silverware, overpriced more

I love the Mai Village. the new restaurant is BEAUTIFUL! they have kept the best parts of their old menu, and added lots of new things - especially some nice desserts. Ask about the decor - it all has an interesting history and is really gorgeous. Again, the food is great - spring rolls, buns (noodle salads) and pho can't be beat. The iced vietnamese coffee is great for after dinner, ask how to put it together correctly or you will be disappointed. the grills where you cook on the table are always fun too. Can't say enough nice things, has always been one of my faves - we take our out of town friends there all the time to show them something really MN. Pros: inexpensive, great parking! more

After reading the reviews, I eagerly visited Mai Village for the first time recently. Perhaps it was the Mondayness of it all, but the service was almost non-existent. The atmosphere was like a fishbowl where the fish are all dead. When we entered the restaurant, we were greeted with a monosyllable and shown a booth. We were the 4th, 5th and 6th customers in the place. The other 3 were St. Paul cops, talking loudly at a table in the middle of the room. Our order was taken/ delivered without interest. No follow-up after plates hit the table. Our server was on the phone for the remainder of the evening. The food was okay...hot/spicy chicken, noodle bowl w/ tofu, spring rolls, wonton soup...but there are many other places that make the same food quite adeptly and don't treat you like an interruption. Maybe I need to go when it's busy? Pros: located in St. Paul, good parking, inexpensive more

Vietnamese food is one of my favorites. I like this restaurant because the menu is versitile. I usually get the Pho but my favorite for lunch is Goi Ga. I can't seem to find this at any other restaurant. I recommend it for anyone watching their weight or eating lite. I usually go with the 3 of us when we're watching our weight plus it tastes great. Pros: Goi Ga Cons: More meat in Pho more

I was very pleased with a recent lunch trip to Mai Village. The service was much more organized and efficient than many of its counterparts. I had the Hot & Spicy Chicken which was expertly prepared. It was under $7 and was neither too rich nor too watery. The interior is generic, although a couple of large aquariums lend some atmosphere. The owner is moving down the block soon and has blueprints for an as-yet unbuilt corner location; I look forward to an atmosphere that competes with its great food. Pros: food, service, prices Cons: generic asian decor more

Some of the best Vietnamese food and nicest people you'll find in the Twin Cities. A frequent dinner spot for St. Paul's Finest--Always a good sign. Pros: Inexpensive, Good Parking, Family Owned Cons: Uncertain Hours more