Mekong Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine
4318 Milan Rd, Sandusky, OH, 44870
Mekong Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine Menu
Sorry, We are updating this restaurant menu details.
Visit below restaurant in Sandusky for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Sandusky for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Sandusky for healthy meals suggestion.
Sorry, we don't have Q&A for this restaurant.
Sorry, No Coupons available for this restaurant.
-
Address :
4318 Milan Rd
Sandusky, OH, 44870 - Phone (419) 502-9476
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
Looky Weed - Buy Marijuana Online
Looky Weed is here to help you navigate the maze of legalized marijuana. We provide you with a complete dispensary directory.
Luisanna R.
Saw this place on the side of the road on our way to Cedar Point of course. It looked really interesting. It far exceeded my expectations. If i lived in Sandusky I would come here at the very least once a week. The food is so good. I can't say whether or not it's super authentic but judging by the food i used to have in that area of the world I would have to say it's about as good as you can get. Try something new. Be a bit adventurous and don't be afraid to ask for hot sauce :)
(5)Nadine P.
My husband & I go to Mekong on a regular basis because the food is so good (and super fresh) and they have the BEST beer selection in Erie County! The service is great too, Kha always takes good care of us.
(5)Kurt L.
This place rocks. Food is fresh and delicious. Phenomenal beer selection!
(5)Ohioan O.
Went there with my family and all LOVED their food, even our picky kids! All the meals and apps were very tasty. Portions were quite large with plenty of fresh vegies and meat / seafood. The staff were all super friendly. We're locals and will definitely be back - my youngest daughter has already picked this as her restaurant of choice for her next birthday.
(5)Binnan O.
Ordered: Pho Tai (beef noodle soup) Price: $8.49 w/o tip Ambiance: Pretty upscale place that blends the feel of a beer bar with its chalk listings of brews with that of a modern restaurant with dark browns tables, reddish benches, and dimmer lighting; definitely not what you think of with vietnamese food. I have no idea what the tippers are saying about filth, this place seemed clean to me. The servers were very friendly although it was pretty dead when I went in. I was seated immediately, got my order taken in 2 minutes and had my food out to about 4 minutes later, it was awesome. I did notice that my bench was abnormally low relative to the table. I was seating from a bowl at the level of my sternum which was awkward but maybe i'm just too short. Seems like there are a lot of regulars that come in though as the waiters like to make small talk with them. Food: The quintessential soul of a vietnamese restaurant is the beef broth which is why I tried it first and I gotta say it was good. There was a good level of saltiness and savoriness which tells me they didn't skimp on the bones. The only flaw with the broth is that the added sugar to it to "round out" it's flavor profile but beef broth shouldn't be sweet just like chicken broth isn't. Regardless, the noodles were perfectly cooked being neither clumpy or chewy, just the perfect amount of bite. They restrained themselves on the white and green onions, giving you the flavor without overpowering everything. The beef steak was also sliced thin, neither tender-nor-tough, and also well-portioned. Overall the meal was satisfying albeit slightly over-priced, then again, this place has the vietnamese market cornered and they offer a fun ambiance. The beef noodle soup was pretty good although it would be better if they reduced the sugar they put into it. Otherwise I look forward to coming here again and trying some other things on their menu.
(4)Eric C.
Hey you looking for Applebees on Rt. 250. What the hell are you doing? Mekong is down the road and it's whoops the hiney of every establishment along Rt 250. It's that good! So here's the deal, if you like beer and/or Asian food, then you must make this a regular stop. t's not inauthentic, but the food seems tamed down a bit for an American audience, which is good because I want this place to survive. At any rate, the food tastes awesome, especially for the town, and the service is impeccable. And the beer..... oh the beer. There's more beer than you can imagine. It looks like this place went to every distributor and said, "I'll take it all." What to do if you don't know anything about beer? Well, just talk to your server. They all seem to know about every beer available and they can also present you with a beer menu that includes pictures and descriptions. And all the beer is served in the proper glass for the style!! Mekong is the best spot for beer in Erie County, hands down. Holy what!?!? How did Perkins/Sandusky end up with such an awesome joint. Food and beer finally made its way to Sandtown and Mekong is an awesome addition to the mix. Max and Erma's is no more--long live Mekong!
(5)Brian K.
Great food, service and up scale find in Sandusky. The best microbrews on tap and local wine slection around. Looking foward to coming back soon.
(5)David R.
Great food! First time eating here and it was so good I ordered more to go! Bringing my wife back here Friday on a date.
(5)Mitch B.
My fiance and I went here on a Tuesday night upon the glowing recommendation of friends. I got the catfish and my fiancé got the pho and we split some steamed dumplings. The food was very good; if say it was on par with most restaurants in Asian Town in Cleveland. The service, however was lacking. It took around 10 minutes for a waiter to appear and when he did he just stood there with his order ticket and didn't say anything. He also didn't offer a beer menu do I just ordered off of their posted draft list. The food came quickly, and the waiter set it down in front of us and didn't say a word except for "I forgot your rice". At that point I ordered another beer. The beer never came and by the time we saw him again I was finished eating so I chalked it up as a loss. But what was on the bill when it came? That's right, two beers. I asked him to correct it, have him my money and asked him to keep the change, which was a 23% tip. Dude, I don't know what we did to you to get such lousy service, but I'm pretty sure we didn't even have a chance to make a bad impression. My fiancé and I have both worked in restaurants for several years and have at least basic etiquette when it comes to communicating. To make things even worse the waiter was having a gay old time city chatting with the table next to us in his native language. It's not often I complain about bad service, but that sucked.
(3)Chas M.
Dude! This place is the best! If this place were in Cleveland it would be at least $2-$3 more on everything, including food and beers. There would also already be 200+ reviews and 60 pics of a bowl of soup with 60 different iPhone filters. This place would be on some know-it-alls list of places to eat for out-of-towners...I can see it now. The area is vast wasteland of indoor waterparks, strip malls and crappy chain restaurants husky Americans love to shovel in their pie holes when they go out. This place is unique and shines bright like diamond. Lunch was full enough to be fun on a Friday but not obnoxious. Some of the rarest bottled beers I have seen anywhere, let alone Sandstucky! Only "local" stuff they had was Fat Heads and some Sandusky brewery. I find it odd which beers some bar owners deem worthy and others they don't. Everyone's an expert now anyways. The food was all delicious and the service was typical of most Asian places. One minute they all over you and 5 minutes later there is no one to be found. But, keep my beers comin' and Im a happy camper. I hope this place stays around for a long time and thrives. I am already planning on my next trip up here to get some of that Vietnamese goodness. Có chà thì nên
(5)Thomas P.
The Vietnamese food is decent - agree with the reviewers who said that it felt Americanized. The Ho-fun had interesting flavors but the sauces were over sugared. rice noodle dishes seemed more authentic. the fresh spring roll appetizers were on the smaller size with no particularly fresh flavor in the roll or sauce. The Pho noodles and broth were well flavored but the less than fresh veggies which came out first made a poor first impression. Service was polite and efficient and the place was decently crowded at lunch. Mekong seems to be an alternative to the chains that surround it - it is catering to the Cedar Point crowd - so perhaps it can be cut some slack because it understands its clientele.
(3)Andrea C.
My mom and I stumbled upon this place while we were at the Sandusky Mall. We LOVE Vietnamese food. This place is GREAT! A classy dining room, great beer bar (it's won national awards!), and excellent food! I ordered beef pho and my mom got the chicken in yellow curry sauce. Both were amazing. Not too spicy, and they had plenty of spicy sauces on the side if you wanted to add heat. The steamed spring rolls were great as well. Definitely coming back here next time we're in Ohio!
(5)N M.
Healthiest food option in this area. And delicious. Excellent pho and atmosphere ( clean/ newly renovated venue). Highly recommend.
(5)Li C.
It's a rarity to find a good Asian restaurant that also has really good microbrews! We got bells porter and a pecan brown ale. Yum! Coming from cedar point I needed nourishment quickly and cheaply. Mekong meet all my expectations! Food was amazing. pho and bun (noodles) with grilled meats and egg roll were very tasty. The beef and pork were very tender. Service was fast and friendly! I told my server I had to drive back to Ann Arbor and I was in for a longer drive- he was very kind and sent 2 to-go ice waters my way! Inside the decor is really nice and clean. One suggestion I have for the owner would be soft or lite pop music in the background music. Nothing crazy just something mellow. This would really do wonders for the atmosphere and overall feel of the restaurant. If you're in Sandusky or going to Cedar point, you must visit Mekong!!!
(5)Erica I.
Great food great service! I can not have a complain about this place! I recommend coming here for a nice dinner date!
(5)Mike P.
Mekong's slogan is "BEER IS THE ANSWER." Unfortunately, the question was: "How good is your food?" SERVICE: The service was excellent. The waiter was friendly, funny, helpful, and accurate. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time. No complaints in this department. BEER: WOW! I was pretty much blown away! Over 90 brands of bottled beer and at least 10 brands on tap. This is good stuff, too; only about 5 or 6 of these were low quality crap beers. They also had wine and some interesting sounding mixed drinks. FOOD: The food is not bad. BUT, I've eaten here three times, and I was really hoping to be able to say something like, "This food is totally worth the drive from Toledo!!" But, that just wouldn't be true. No bahn mi. The bottom line is that pretty much everything was bland. From the pho (chicken, beef/meatball, seafood) to the peanut sauce for the spring rolls, things were a little under-flavored. If you are in Sandusky for some other reason (Cedar Point?), Mekong is worth a stop. But if you live in Toledo, and crave Vietnamese food that's really good, stay in town, or, head up to Ypsi. 3 stars for the food, 5 stars for the beer! Average is 4 stars, baby! Not too shabby.
(4)adam w.
Best place in Sandusky!! Fantastic pho, probably the best I've ever had. And to top it off they have an outstanding BEER selection. If I lived here I'd be a regular for sure.
(5)Jean S.
DELISH! I can't believe this place is in the middle of Sandusky, OH. We were in town to spend a couple of days at Great Wolf Lodge (ugh) and hopped on Yelp to find something good to eat that didn't entail a drive through or fries. We have never had Vietnamese food before, but were intrigued by the menu and decided to give it a try. We are so glad we did! We were even planning on going back a second night, but we decided to skip out on GWL earlier than planned. Get the fried chicken appetizer!!!!!!!!!! I dream about those wings & drummettes! OMG! Seriously, the hubs and I were hoping that our girls wouldn't like them so that we could scarf more down. But who couldn't like them?!?! We gave in and ordered a second platter and, because one daughter didn't see anything she preferred on the menu, she decided to make it a meal out of them, with a side of rice. My other daughter had the grilled beef platter, my husband had a stir fried steak meal and I had the grilled shrimp platter. Everything was really tasty, but nothing beat the appetizer. I highly recommend you trying this place out if you ever find yourself in the fast food chain main street of Sandusky, OH. You'll be happy for the relief from burgers and fries!
(4)Jenny P.
The special Mekong wings were delicious. It tasted like it was tossed in a sweet fish sauce. My brother had the bun Dac biet and I had the pho Dac biet. They had a great selection of craft beers and their glasses were really cool. I was bummed when I found out that they weren't for sale. We'll definitely make this part of our cedar point adventure!!!
(5)Darks C.
My favorite restaurant in Sandusky! The Pho is amazing,carmelized chicken in a clay pot and appetizer sampler for 2.talk about yum! And dont forget...beer is the answer!
(5)Claudette R.
It's a nice quaint place and their spring roll was good. I didn't care much for their pho because the flavor was just in the broth, and the noodles were bland. The owner didn't pay much attention to us and kept attending to other customers while we were ordering. Thought that was very rude!!!!
(3)Luke Z.
Very good service and clean restaurant. Huge beer selection and pretty large menu. We went for lunch on a Saturday and did not have to wait.
(4)Alex K.
Really is one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite awhile. The workers are attentive (but not overly so), the beer selection is just ridiculous (as well as wildly unexpected if I hadn't seen Yelp first), and... the pho is alright, I guess. There's basically nothing about Mekong that I'd change. The pho is great, especially after a chilly day at Cedar Point, and there are a side of jalapenos, limes, and beansprouts that you can add to it if you'd like: as well as a few sauces. Really though, you probably won't need to add any of them -- the broth is flavorful enough. The appetizer had a slew of items I don't recall off-hand, but they were all good or better. Some of the shrimp had mud veins in-tact still, so look out for that. The beer selection is, again, impressive. There are only a handful of beers on-tap, but there's a long bottle list, as well as a large number of mostly hard-to-find or just pricy beers above the taps. The owner is really nice and appears to know a lot about craft beer. The best part about the beers for sale, they're reasonable. Two bombers of Deschutes Black Butte XXVI and Abyss were $16 a piece ... I was expecting a price tag approaching $30 for each. Awesome pho, great appetizer sampler, and an incredible beer list -- I think I'll make this my go-to restaurant when I'm in the area.
(5)Naiying C.
The pho was just disappointing, the broth was so bland and the bean sprouts looked so sad and brown. I ordered the lemongrass pork and that was not tasty either, there was no flavor explosion like other Viet restaurants I've been to. Overall interior ambiance feels Americanized too(bar with beer), perhaps we should've took that as a warning sign.
(2)Charlie T.
This is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Sandusky, OH... But it's also the only one. I wasn't too impressed with their food and service. I ordered Large Pho Bowl and I didn't finish it.. That means a lot coming from a Vietnamese guy that likes eating a lot of Pho. We went in because of the reviews on Yelp and I feel really disappointed.
(2)Rick S.
A great find on busy route 250. Had the patio all to ourselves, even though inside it was packed. Very good General Tso meal, with a good glass of wine. Only complaint is the ever present signs pushing their love of beer, even on my wine glass! Great food, moderate price, definite go-back!
(5)Yukimura S.
I wouldn't say Mekong is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Tried some dishes from the chef's special (caramelized fish, mekong beef) and also the pork with curry sauce. They are just OK (a bit too Americanized for me); too sweet and salty. Chicken wings with special chef sauce (appetizer menu) was the bomb! Crunchy, and the sauce was heavenly. It was sweet, tangy, and savory with Asian infused hoisin-based sauce. The chicken wings are MUST GET.
(3)Stephen M.
The service is remarkably slow. As I write this we continue to wait - to place an order! Can't wait to see if the food is worth the insanely long wait!
(1)Elizabeth P.
Such an interesting little find in Sandusky! My co-worker loves Vietnamese food and I'm not familiar with the kind so I was super excited to not only try a taste of the culture but also give this little place a go. They have a ton of beer options and pride themselves on their selection so here's the place to be in Sandusky if you're a beer lover. I was more excited about the food, although if you're not familiar with the menu, ask away because the servers are awesome and know the options inside and out. I went with the yellow curry, and I'm so glad I did because it was delicious! Needless to say, it's a great, quick stop where you're guaranteed great food and awesome beer!
(4)Joe M.
Disclosure: I am Vietnamese and am very picky when it comes to VN food. Sandusky is lucky to have this place. The food is really good. The fish sauce (nuoc mam) is really good. I had a chance to speak to the owner and over one of their 100 or so beers. I don't normally drink and ended up having 2 glasses...so it's good. Great food and great people. I would definitely recommend eating here. Want a "traditional" VN dinner combination? Order the sour soup with caramelized fish.
(5)Amanda T.
Great pho! Honestly, we weren't expecting much, but we were totally surprised by the quality of the pho here. We got fresh spring rolls and fried spring rolls to start, both those were really good and authentically made, then we both had pho tai. The meat was good quality, and the broth was a good base. Next time, we are going to try the bahn xeo since we've never seen that on an American menu. Yum!
(5)Jack M.
Awsome Asian food!! They have one of the best beer selections around. Everyone is very friendly. They remember you when you come in. The atmosphere is great. Sandusky's hidden gem!!
(5)Christopher J.
Best food I've had in a while. I will definitely be stopping in next time I'm in Sandusky
(5)Steve T.
Did not live up to the expectations Meals were a couple bucks more than they should be and every meal tasted the same of a brown sweet sauce. The staff was nice.
(2)Jenny Z.
Love their food!! I stopped in with some friends, and everything was absolutely delicious. Waiters were quick and friendly. They had a ton of different beers, which was the highlight for us. I didn't have any, but my friend ordered the alcoholic root beer and loved it. I had the beef in lemongrass sauce, which was delicious. It had a lot of onions in there, though. Not a problem for me because I love onions, but I can see that being an issue for people who don't.
(5)Mrkookm K.
Ok first things first, my review is based on our Pho dinner. With that out the way, the menu here is NOT Pho oriented, and to my disappointment only had 5 Pho choices on the menu and something we've never experienced at any other Vietnamese restaurants we've been to. On the other hand, they did have quite a bit of rice/meat & noodle dishes. When we talked to our waiter about the lack of Pho choices and the gist of their Pho lacking option is due to the crowd they they cater for, so take that statement for what it's worth. We ordered Chicken and the wife ordered Beef Pho. They brought out the Basil and Spouts which was clearly a few days old. Basil leaves was dry and beginning to Brown, as was the Sprouts and should have never even been served. The Pho was served a few minutes later, and after adding in a few if the better leaves from the old Basil cuttings, Lime juice, Sriracha, extra Cilantro and Hoisin, we found it lacking it's distinct spice flavor. The Chicken portion was too small even though I asked and paid for extra Chicken and It was on the slightly tough side. So not what I was expecting based on the reviews, but another instance of Yelpers who lack the exposure to certain foods, but yet who leave too glorious reviews for an average taste. If one is feeling for something hot and Broth like the Pho here will get the Job done. If you've never had Pho and want to experience it or Pho lovers like us looking for some good Pho, then don't expect much from Mekong. If you're looking for Vietnamese Rice based meal then this might be the place for you...I think. If I'm ever back in Sandusky I'll pass on Mekong If we're feeling for Pho.
(2)Kenny Y.
Wow, I didn't expect that. This restaurant is located next to a shopping mall and nestled among fast food and otherwise bland food establishments. The clientele is composed largely of tourists and the place seems to pride itself more on its bar-full of beer rather than its food. The menu itself has limited Vietnamese offerings as well as some Chinese food. So imagine my surprise when the kitchen brought out a well-flavored vermicelli dish and a nearly flawless bowl of pho. Only issues I had were that the egg rolls could be crispier and the pho was a little on the oily side. But the broth was flavored well and noodles and meat were authentic and cooked perfectly. I'm very impressed! Probably will stop back here next time I'm in Sandusky.
(5)Fern G.
You will either love it or hate it - it all depends on your taste buds. I prefer marinated meats with savory flavors and I found that with the steak and rice bowl. The sirloin steak was marinated in garlic and had lots of flavor. The cubes of steak were a bit tough to chew but at least they were flavorful. I ordered the soft noodles with chicken and it was so-so. The chicken was bland and dry and I wished the dish had more sauce because it needed the flavor (and moisture). The noodles were cooked nicely and were easy to chew. So what have I learned from my experience? I learned that each Vietnamese restaurant is different and I can't throw the baby out with the bathwater just because I got a bum dish from one of them. I learned that because I prefer savory flavors and marinated meats I need to ask which dishes have these strong flavors. I will eat here again when I'm in town. The staff is very kind and friendly and I really hope this place succeeds. Sandusky is in dire need of some culture!!
(4)Michael W.
Wife and I came across this place on our last night in Sandusky after a long day at Cedar Point. We came in at closing time, but they stayed open late for us as we hadn't had Vietnamese food before. Ordered the appetizer sampler for 2, which was a mix of rolls and was delicious. I ordered the Mekong Shaken Beef and the wife ordered the Beef Pho on recommendation from the bartender. Both dishes were excellent, and the portion sizes were more than enough. The staff left and we spent the rest of our meal chatting with the chef, Chung, who talked beer and business with us for more than an hour. We enjoyed this so much, and Chung was so welcoming and nice that we will be stopping back for an early lunch before we leave town. Thanks, Chung! Mekong was fantastic!
(5)Thomas C.
Good pho frequently comes in the most unexpected places. This restaurant is in a huge strip of box stores and hotels in smelly Sandusky. It's an odd mixture of worlds when you walk in there: a little bit TGI Fridays, a bit alehouse, and only a wee bit of the customary pho restaurant grunge. The Vietnamese owner talks football and microbrews with his customers, who are predominantly frumpy middle-America Ohio State football fans and mall shoppers. Funny scene. Getting to the food, although the vegetable selection was meager and both the basil and bean sprouts were past their prime, the pho was excellent in the category that counts the most: the broth. The meat left something to be desired in the thinness and tenderness category, but was perfectly acceptable. The noodles were chewy and delicious. Overall a very satisfying bowl, despite the few flaws. Pho lovers stuck in less pho-endowed areas of the country (like most of Ohio besides Columbus) will go to great lengths to find a decent bowl within a reasonable driving distance. Although this place leaves a little bit to be desired, it should do the trick to relieve a craving for any pho lover.
(4)Leeann K.
Really excellent! Comparable, better even, than many places in NY. Attentive, friendly service that takes care of your needs without being intrusive. The food is fresh and delicious- not heavy, as many restaurants in the area can be. As if it couldn't get better, they have over 100 beers on their menu. Mekong=heaven for a city girl visiting Sandusky!
(5)Danielle F.
Not too bad for middle of nowhere Ohio! I had the beef pho and rocket shrimp. The pho was huge. The broth wasn't the best I've had, but the flavor was good. Pho is a comfort food for me and it did the trick tonight! The rocket shrimp were over cooked, but not terribly. The service was fast and friendly.
(3)Robert O.
Fantastic! Great food here, and coming from Hawaii, and actually eaten authentic vietnamese food in Vietnam, this is a great find for Sandusky. This restaurant would compete with any D.C. restaurant when you compare the food, price and extensive drink menu. We were staying at the Great Wolf Lodge for 2 nights, and after eating blah pizza and salad there, we found Mekong. We went for lunch AND dinner our last night in Sandusky. Don't miss this place if you are in the area!
(4)George H.
This place is hands-down the best Vietnamese restaurant I have ever been to - add that to an amazing selections of beer, I am SERIOUSLY jealous of Sandusky residents for more than their proximity to Cedar Point. I live in the Chicago suburbs and have been to multiple Vietnamese restaurants but the huge selection of food menu items AND the quality of preparation far outshines anywhere I have gone to so far. The bar has definitely been raised! The beer list is incredible with over 100 beers to choose from. As their tagline says, "Beer is the answer!" We brought along some friends who never had tried Vietnamese before and (for lack of a better term) we served as culinary ambassadors giving them food recommendations. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals, For the five of us, what was ordered were two beef pho soups, 'make your own' spring roll, jumbo shrimp with spicy lemongrass sauce and pork with curry. The service was great and attentive, but without feeling like they were hovering. Since I am not a local, I (unfortunately) will not be back often, but Mekong will definitely be on the top of my list when I return to Cedar Point...or should I say I will return to Cedar Point when I go for dinner at Mekong? ;)
(5)Jeff K.
Had the Pho Ga (Pho with chicken). EXCELLENT! The broth was delicate & delicious. The portion is huge! I'm going to have to go through the menu when I come back to my hometown.
(4)Lexie V.
What a gem! I was truly shocked to find such a great place in the middle of Ohio. I have actually never seen such an extensive and impressive beer menu. They have 3 Floyds! That's hard to find even in Chicago and NW Indiana which is where the highly rated brewery is located. Not only that, but they had some rare 3 Floyds brews. The owner is fantastic. We chatted with him while we waited for our takeout. He is hilarious and he made the perfect menu recommendations. Our food was really, really good. Again, I'm shocked to have found such great ethnic food in Sandusky Ohio. It rivals the extremely popular Tank Noodles in Chicago. I will definitely be coming back here every time I go to Cedar Point.
(5)Erin C.
I've visited this place 4-5 times, and with each visit, this place has gone downhill. The first time we visited was about a month after it opened. The food was great, the drinks were great, and the service was outstanding (5 stars!). I thought I finally found my go-to place in Sandusky. Our last visit, however, was such a turn off, that I have no intentions on returning (1 star). The final straw occurred on Mother's Day. I had spent the day at Cedar Point with my Mom, daughter, and my husband (who surprised me, since he was out-of-town for business). Beautiful day, no crowds, perfect! We decided to get an early dinner and came here. When we entered, no one was at the host stand, and we weren't greeted for another couple of minutes. Either the host was new or didn't usually work the front, because she seemed overwhelmed and confused. I get it. It's a busy day. We get seated, and it just goes down from there. I don't want to turn this into a novel, so I'll just run down the issues: they refused to make me a Mai Thai because the only bartender who knew how to make it was not in that day, the steps of service were VERY slow, our waiter was completely in the weeds (which I get) and was EXTREMELY rude (which is inexcusable!)- he made us feel like a burden for just sitting there, and the only thing he said to us was how stupid his boss was for only scheduling 1-2 waiters for Mother's Day (he was right about that). He forgot many items (beer, my accoutrements for my pho, etc). The pho also tasted a little "off" this last time. A little bitter, like they didn't thoroughly wash/boil the bones prior to using them for broth. It may be that Columbus offers so many good pho options that I now know how good pho should taste. Or it could be that I could actually taste the broth since I wasn't able to douse my soup with basil, Jalapeñoes, etc. One thing was for sure:I couldn't get out of there fast enough! Our visit here put a bit of a damper of the day. Luckily, we were quickly cheered up by the Menchies across the street. Let me also point out that this is the sister restaurant to the Mekong the owner also has in Richmond, VA. While it also offers some Vietnamese faire, it is beer-centric. So maybe if you come here with a focus on the beer and consider the food as bar food, you'll be less disappointed than I was. On a positive note: the pear cider is fabulous after a hot day at the Point, and it is reasonably priced!
(2)Lucas G.
It's safe to say this is my favorite restaurant in the world. I have eaten at a ton of places in Columbus, Cleveland, and all around ohio. If you are looking for good fast service, perfect food, a perfect atmosphere, and the best drinks...Look No Further! All that really needs to be said is that there is not one negative review or a review under 4 stars on yelp at the time of my reviewing. That's an incredible feat for a restaurant that has only been around for a little over a year. The menu is among the best I've ever seen. Just open and point and I personally guarantee that it will be good. I have done this multiple times and never have been disappointed. -Recommendations- Apps- The chicken wings are phenomenal, the rocket shrimp are amazing, The rolls are fantastic. Main menu- Anything clay pot style, grill platters, PHO!!!!!, the salad bowls!, the flat noodle, BBQ quail. Drinks- They have over 100 bottled beers from around the world. Then there is like 10 craft brews on tap that change weekly.The best beer bar in the world considering that they also serve the best Vietnamese food ever. Everything is world class authentic Vietnamese. If you're reading this please please go here it's that great! You will never forget this place!
(5)Tom C.
I've only eaten here once, but this place stands out within the otherwise culturally homogenous town of Sandusky. I was excited to eat here and very pleased with my own food. I ordered the hot and sour soup with fish and the broth tasted very much like thai Tom Yum. It was a much less potent taste than you would get in thailand (I lived there for a year), but then this isn't thailand...it isn't even a thai restaurant. The portion of fish they gave was VERY generous. I was super happy with my massive bowl of perfectly cooked fish filets. I tried a little bit of the meat from some other dishes (from things my family ordered) and it tasted good. A few people got stir-fried noodles though and they looked really boring, so I might recommend against that whole page of the menu. I would definitely recommend this place to other people; it's surprisingly good for Sandusky. Looking around the restaurant, which was doing good business on a weeknight, not all of the dishes look good, but some look spectacular. I recommend you NOT order something boring / safe. Step outside of your comfort zone a little bit and I bet you will be handsomely rewarded.
(4)J G.
Clay pots, noodle salad, and basil pork, all amazing. Family style was the way to go, sharing great meals. And the beers were wonderful too. Great find!
(5)Lindsey W.
I love this place. We came to visit Cedar Point and ate here twice. We love the string bean with basil, grilled beef and shrimp, and the veggie spring rolls!
(5)Josh W.
Really fresh and delicious food! We got vegetable spring rolls, Jasmine rice with shrimp, and string bean vegetable dish with basil sauce. All of it was great
(5)Tess T.
This place was delicious! Had a nice relaxing dinner after spending the first part of the day at cedar point. Nice to have something other than burgers and fries. I had the meatball and beef pho which tasted amazing. Service was fast and friendly. Our water glasses never went near empty which was great because we were all very dehydrated. Definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for some yummy food and nice refreshing break from the loud and crazy atmosphere of the park :)
(5)Chuck A.
Friendly service, good price and very authentic. The pork basil was just as I remembered with a nice little kick.
(4)Brian S.
Really delicious and handled my peanut allergy fabulously!!! Great place to stop and have some pho!!! Also holy frijoles they have a lot of beer! Who knew?
(5)Tina W.
We went in on the first day they opened with an open mind. I try to not have high expectations for an opening as there's usually a few kinks to work out. Well, first day or not, this place really delivered and exceeded my expectations! The staff and kitchen worked it out like the place had been open for months. The menu had so many delicious offerings but I decided on the pho as there's really none to be found around here. It was presented with all the fresh, delicious offerings you would expect and was all around delicious. The decor is tastefully streamlined and a nice break from the miles of trendy chains on 250. It feels more like the independent restaurants you find downtown then anything else out on the golden mile. If my first experience is any indication of what's to come from Mekong, I see myself frequenting this place quite often.
(4)Joel S.
Read the reviews and decided to try this restaurant. Was incredible food was delicious had the pho soup and soft noodles with chicken. Have been back again and was great. Definitely a must stop if you are in the area.
(5)Jonathan B.
Fantastic Vietnamese food in Ohio! I ordered the Chicken Pho and Pork Fried Rice. Both were excellent and I found myself unable to stop eating. However, I found the pairing of beer with Vietnamese food to be somewhat strange. Don't get me wrong I loved the extensive beer selection and the beer I ended up having was great, but craft beer just doesn't jive well with Vietnamese food. I finished the night with a Vietnamese iced coffee, which was fantastic. I'll definitely be back in the future, but I might have to skip the beer (or drink beer and skip the food).
(4)Kerry D.
Pleasantly surprised by great food and friendly service! The menu offers a lot of choices and the ingredients were fresh and tasty. Great noodle dishes, pho and veggie options. Nice alternative from all the typical chains.
(4)Teddy B.
I wanted to go to Mekong wayyyy before it opened, like as soon as i found what kind of food it was going to be. When I finally got to visit nearly a year after it opened, I was not disappointed. The Pho has been the best I have had since my return from Vietnam many years ago. My only complaint is that I wish they had more locations! Great atmosphere, laid back with many great options. A definite stop every time we head out to Cedar Point from Cleveland.
(5)Wiliam C.
Was in the area on business and drove by the place a few times but was short on time at the moment. Had the opportunity to go for lunch and it was outstanding. Service was friendly an attentive. Ordered the steamed spring rolls and beef/meatball pho and it was incredible. Earthy, deep, and lush. Wish I could have ordered the meatballs by themselves. It was busy at lunch so it looks like I don't need to let the locals know. Highly recommended!
(5)John J.
We had a long day at Cedar Point and had been eating fatty nasty food in Ohio for days (we're not used to the home cooking/lack of colorful foods). We needed something clean, healthier, with color, not just brown food. Mekong was amazing. Flavorful, light, fresh. We ordered a bunch of dishes and did it family style. I think the consensus was that the salads with the noodles underneath. The meat was crispy, greens and herbs were fresh, and noodles were perfectly cooked. Dump some of the sauce on top, and you're in heaven. Great list of beers on tap. Service was especially spectacular, and we met the owner who was friendly and funny. Next year when we go back to Ohio to see our family and go to Cedar Point, we will DEFINITELY be going back again. Can't wait!
(5)Alex W.
I really enjoyed this gem of Sandusky. I frequently travel for business and am super conscious of healhty eating. I was grateful to find a place with lots of fresh veggies, lean meats, and brown rice...all super tasty. I liked it so much I ordered lunch to-go for the next day too!
(5)Ted P.
Great pho and vermicelli dishes. A wide selection of beers in bottles and on tap. The interior is clean and colorful. The friendly staff really takes care of you. No kids meals were offered for our 7 and 8 yr old, but they were able to split a fried rice dish.
(5)Christy P.
I wouldn't say its authentic (compared to other Vietnamese restaurants) but it was delicious. I had the bun and my sister's had pho. No complaints. A bit crowded but I enjoyed the dinner and the atmosphere.
(4)Donnell S.
I've been here a few times now and I havn't had anything I didn't absolutely enjoy. Their soft rolls are especially good. Service and drinks are great!
(4)Paul K.
Awesome food here! Calamari was fresh, not dry and small like others. Pho was phantastic. The best part was the beer menu. Great selection of bottled and seasonal draft varieties. I had a Weihenstephan weissbier which was one of the best wheat beers I've had. Nice place to drop by after a long day at Cedar Point.
(4)Kim E.
Excellent beer and food...loved my pho. Can't believe there is such a good Vietnamese restaurant hidden in sandusky!
(5)Sam P.
We had the following: Spring rolls, fried pork dumplings, rice ravioli, caramelized chicken, wide rice noddles and chicken, grilled beef and rice. All were ok. Nothing was terrific but good enough and there aren't a lot of choices in Sandusky. The one thing I will add is that the staff was very fun and pleasant. If I were to go back, and I might if in Sandusky, it would be, in part, for the staff. I also had one of the house special cocktails because it was one of the strangest I've ever come across, in terms of ingredients I wouldn't put together; Bhat (???) XEO. The ingredients are good whiskey, butterscotch schnapps and orange juice. And .... it was good! And very strange.
(3)Cory R.
Food was great, definitely your best option in chain city Sandusky. But I was berated by the younger Vietnamese man for enjoying a beer on their menu. I was on vacation, so I ordered an uncommon Belgium beer, Gulden Draak, that was on draft. It was a few more bucks than I usually spend on beer. It was a good deal because normally it's almost $5 in a grocery or liquor store for a one serving bottle and it was $8 here. I drink craft beer pretty regularly, but tend to go on the cheaper side so I'd never had anything like it and I told the man it was very good and that I'd never had anything like it (10.5% ABV and it was very smooth!). His response - "What, do you normally drink Miller Lite?" Thanks for that wonderful response and for making me feel bad about enjoying a beer on your menu. I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to drink beer at your restaurant unless I'm used to obscure Belgium beers. Other than that remark, service was fine, but I guess Mekong is for beer snobs.
(3)D'Anna N.
Went there today with 2 girl friends, had read all the reviews on here & had told them how good it sounded none of us had been yet, the food was great we all got something different & there wasn't a complaint on the flavors & tastes among us, the servers we prompt but not friendly didn't smile much, but that being said we will be back again.
(4)Cwart E.
We were in town visiting from Pittsburgh, PA and this is the best Vietnamese food I have ever had!! My husband and I fought over the leftovers. Everything was so flavorful and amazing.
(5)Mandy P.
This place was awesome! After a long day at Cedar Point all we wanted was a good meal. Not a chain restaurant. We came across Mekong while driving and looked it up and read all of the wonderful reviews. This place was the best Vietnamese restaurant ever! We live in Cleveland, but I would be tempted to drive just to go here again. Will definitely visit every time I am in the area.
(4)Steve S.
First, if you are looking for microbrews in Sandusky, then this is the place! I know, I know....it doesn't make sense, but they know their stuff. Great quality beer list, and the owner gave us personal service, including finding a special 3 Floyd's from his personal stash and giving it to us on the house. When was the last time that happened! A lot of quality, hard to find Belgians too. We sat out on the beautiful patio and enjoyed both great beer and food. There was a good variety of food on the menu and it was fresh and hot. Even my kids liked it. Typically, I don't write reviews, but I felt I needed to share this very positive experience.
(5)Laurie P.
If I recommend this place any more, I might not get a seat! Seriously, fresh and delicious food every time I have been there! Thought the noodle salad was the best and then had the Pho... No matter what you order... smell...enjoy the fragrance... (this is some of the most aromatic food I've ever had!) Fabulous!
(5)Nadine P.
My husband & I go to Mekong on a regular basis because the food is so good (and super fresh) and they have the BEST beer selection in Erie County! The service is great too, Kha always takes good care of us.
(5)Kurt L.
This place rocks. Food is fresh and delicious. Phenomenal beer selection!
(5)Claudette R.
It's a nice quaint place and their spring roll was good. I didn't care much for their pho because the flavor was just in the broth, and the noodles were bland. The owner didn't pay much attention to us and kept attending to other customers while we were ordering. Thought that was very rude!!!!
(3)Mitch B.
My fiance and I went here on a Tuesday night upon the glowing recommendation of friends. I got the catfish and my fiancé got the pho and we split some steamed dumplings. The food was very good; if say it was on par with most restaurants in Asian Town in Cleveland. The service, however was lacking. It took around 10 minutes for a waiter to appear and when he did he just stood there with his order ticket and didn't say anything. He also didn't offer a beer menu do I just ordered off of their posted draft list. The food came quickly, and the waiter set it down in front of us and didn't say a word except for "I forgot your rice". At that point I ordered another beer. The beer never came and by the time we saw him again I was finished eating so I chalked it up as a loss. But what was on the bill when it came? That's right, two beers. I asked him to correct it, have him my money and asked him to keep the change, which was a 23% tip. Dude, I don't know what we did to you to get such lousy service, but I'm pretty sure we didn't even have a chance to make a bad impression. My fiancé and I have both worked in restaurants for several years and have at least basic etiquette when it comes to communicating. To make things even worse the waiter was having a gay old time city chatting with the table next to us in his native language. It's not often I complain about bad service, but that sucked.
(3)Chas M.
Dude! This place is the best! If this place were in Cleveland it would be at least $2-$3 more on everything, including food and beers. There would also already be 200+ reviews and 60 pics of a bowl of soup with 60 different iPhone filters. This place would be on some know-it-alls list of places to eat for out-of-towners...I can see it now. The area is vast wasteland of indoor waterparks, strip malls and crappy chain restaurants husky Americans love to shovel in their pie holes when they go out. This place is unique and shines bright like diamond. Lunch was full enough to be fun on a Friday but not obnoxious. Some of the rarest bottled beers I have seen anywhere, let alone Sandstucky! Only "local" stuff they had was Fat Heads and some Sandusky brewery. I find it odd which beers some bar owners deem worthy and others they don't. Everyone's an expert now anyways. The food was all delicious and the service was typical of most Asian places. One minute they all over you and 5 minutes later there is no one to be found. But, keep my beers comin' and Im a happy camper. I hope this place stays around for a long time and thrives. I am already planning on my next trip up here to get some of that Vietnamese goodness. Có chà thì nên
(5)Thomas P.
The Vietnamese food is decent - agree with the reviewers who said that it felt Americanized. The Ho-fun had interesting flavors but the sauces were over sugared. rice noodle dishes seemed more authentic. the fresh spring roll appetizers were on the smaller size with no particularly fresh flavor in the roll or sauce. The Pho noodles and broth were well flavored but the less than fresh veggies which came out first made a poor first impression. Service was polite and efficient and the place was decently crowded at lunch. Mekong seems to be an alternative to the chains that surround it - it is catering to the Cedar Point crowd - so perhaps it can be cut some slack because it understands its clientele.
(3)Erica I.
Great food great service! I can not have a complain about this place! I recommend coming here for a nice dinner date!
(5)Li C.
It's a rarity to find a good Asian restaurant that also has really good microbrews! We got bells porter and a pecan brown ale. Yum! Coming from cedar point I needed nourishment quickly and cheaply. Mekong meet all my expectations! Food was amazing. pho and bun (noodles) with grilled meats and egg roll were very tasty. The beef and pork were very tender. Service was fast and friendly! I told my server I had to drive back to Ann Arbor and I was in for a longer drive- he was very kind and sent 2 to-go ice waters my way! Inside the decor is really nice and clean. One suggestion I have for the owner would be soft or lite pop music in the background music. Nothing crazy just something mellow. This would really do wonders for the atmosphere and overall feel of the restaurant. If you're in Sandusky or going to Cedar point, you must visit Mekong!!!
(5)Alex K.
Really is one of the best dining experiences I've had in quite awhile. The workers are attentive (but not overly so), the beer selection is just ridiculous (as well as wildly unexpected if I hadn't seen Yelp first), and... the pho is alright, I guess. There's basically nothing about Mekong that I'd change. The pho is great, especially after a chilly day at Cedar Point, and there are a side of jalapenos, limes, and beansprouts that you can add to it if you'd like: as well as a few sauces. Really though, you probably won't need to add any of them -- the broth is flavorful enough. The appetizer had a slew of items I don't recall off-hand, but they were all good or better. Some of the shrimp had mud veins in-tact still, so look out for that. The beer selection is, again, impressive. There are only a handful of beers on-tap, but there's a long bottle list, as well as a large number of mostly hard-to-find or just pricy beers above the taps. The owner is really nice and appears to know a lot about craft beer. The best part about the beers for sale, they're reasonable. Two bombers of Deschutes Black Butte XXVI and Abyss were $16 a piece ... I was expecting a price tag approaching $30 for each. Awesome pho, great appetizer sampler, and an incredible beer list -- I think I'll make this my go-to restaurant when I'm in the area.
(5)Naiying C.
The pho was just disappointing, the broth was so bland and the bean sprouts looked so sad and brown. I ordered the lemongrass pork and that was not tasty either, there was no flavor explosion like other Viet restaurants I've been to. Overall interior ambiance feels Americanized too(bar with beer), perhaps we should've took that as a warning sign.
(2)Charlie T.
This is the best Vietnamese restaurant in Sandusky, OH... But it's also the only one. I wasn't too impressed with their food and service. I ordered Large Pho Bowl and I didn't finish it.. That means a lot coming from a Vietnamese guy that likes eating a lot of Pho. We went in because of the reviews on Yelp and I feel really disappointed.
(2)Rick S.
A great find on busy route 250. Had the patio all to ourselves, even though inside it was packed. Very good General Tso meal, with a good glass of wine. Only complaint is the ever present signs pushing their love of beer, even on my wine glass! Great food, moderate price, definite go-back!
(5)Stephen M.
The service is remarkably slow. As I write this we continue to wait - to place an order! Can't wait to see if the food is worth the insanely long wait!
(1)Yukimura S.
I wouldn't say Mekong is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant. Tried some dishes from the chef's special (caramelized fish, mekong beef) and also the pork with curry sauce. They are just OK (a bit too Americanized for me); too sweet and salty. Chicken wings with special chef sauce (appetizer menu) was the bomb! Crunchy, and the sauce was heavenly. It was sweet, tangy, and savory with Asian infused hoisin-based sauce. The chicken wings are MUST GET.
(3)Elizabeth P.
Such an interesting little find in Sandusky! My co-worker loves Vietnamese food and I'm not familiar with the kind so I was super excited to not only try a taste of the culture but also give this little place a go. They have a ton of beer options and pride themselves on their selection so here's the place to be in Sandusky if you're a beer lover. I was more excited about the food, although if you're not familiar with the menu, ask away because the servers are awesome and know the options inside and out. I went with the yellow curry, and I'm so glad I did because it was delicious! Needless to say, it's a great, quick stop where you're guaranteed great food and awesome beer!
(4)Joe M.
Disclosure: I am Vietnamese and am very picky when it comes to VN food. Sandusky is lucky to have this place. The food is really good. The fish sauce (nuoc mam) is really good. I had a chance to speak to the owner and over one of their 100 or so beers. I don't normally drink and ended up having 2 glasses...so it's good. Great food and great people. I would definitely recommend eating here. Want a "traditional" VN dinner combination? Order the sour soup with caramelized fish.
(5)Amanda T.
Great pho! Honestly, we weren't expecting much, but we were totally surprised by the quality of the pho here. We got fresh spring rolls and fried spring rolls to start, both those were really good and authentically made, then we both had pho tai. The meat was good quality, and the broth was a good base. Next time, we are going to try the bahn xeo since we've never seen that on an American menu. Yum!
(5)Jack M.
Awsome Asian food!! They have one of the best beer selections around. Everyone is very friendly. They remember you when you come in. The atmosphere is great. Sandusky's hidden gem!!
(5)Christopher J.
Best food I've had in a while. I will definitely be stopping in next time I'm in Sandusky
(5)Steve T.
Did not live up to the expectations Meals were a couple bucks more than they should be and every meal tasted the same of a brown sweet sauce. The staff was nice.
(2)Jenny Z.
Love their food!! I stopped in with some friends, and everything was absolutely delicious. Waiters were quick and friendly. They had a ton of different beers, which was the highlight for us. I didn't have any, but my friend ordered the alcoholic root beer and loved it. I had the beef in lemongrass sauce, which was delicious. It had a lot of onions in there, though. Not a problem for me because I love onions, but I can see that being an issue for people who don't.
(5)Mrkookm K.
Ok first things first, my review is based on our Pho dinner. With that out the way, the menu here is NOT Pho oriented, and to my disappointment only had 5 Pho choices on the menu and something we've never experienced at any other Vietnamese restaurants we've been to. On the other hand, they did have quite a bit of rice/meat & noodle dishes. When we talked to our waiter about the lack of Pho choices and the gist of their Pho lacking option is due to the crowd they they cater for, so take that statement for what it's worth. We ordered Chicken and the wife ordered Beef Pho. They brought out the Basil and Spouts which was clearly a few days old. Basil leaves was dry and beginning to Brown, as was the Sprouts and should have never even been served. The Pho was served a few minutes later, and after adding in a few if the better leaves from the old Basil cuttings, Lime juice, Sriracha, extra Cilantro and Hoisin, we found it lacking it's distinct spice flavor. The Chicken portion was too small even though I asked and paid for extra Chicken and It was on the slightly tough side. So not what I was expecting based on the reviews, but another instance of Yelpers who lack the exposure to certain foods, but yet who leave too glorious reviews for an average taste. If one is feeling for something hot and Broth like the Pho here will get the Job done. If you've never had Pho and want to experience it or Pho lovers like us looking for some good Pho, then don't expect much from Mekong. If you're looking for Vietnamese Rice based meal then this might be the place for you...I think. If I'm ever back in Sandusky I'll pass on Mekong If we're feeling for Pho.
(2)Kenny Y.
Wow, I didn't expect that. This restaurant is located next to a shopping mall and nestled among fast food and otherwise bland food establishments. The clientele is composed largely of tourists and the place seems to pride itself more on its bar-full of beer rather than its food. The menu itself has limited Vietnamese offerings as well as some Chinese food. So imagine my surprise when the kitchen brought out a well-flavored vermicelli dish and a nearly flawless bowl of pho. Only issues I had were that the egg rolls could be crispier and the pho was a little on the oily side. But the broth was flavored well and noodles and meat were authentic and cooked perfectly. I'm very impressed! Probably will stop back here next time I'm in Sandusky.
(5)Fern G.
You will either love it or hate it - it all depends on your taste buds. I prefer marinated meats with savory flavors and I found that with the steak and rice bowl. The sirloin steak was marinated in garlic and had lots of flavor. The cubes of steak were a bit tough to chew but at least they were flavorful. I ordered the soft noodles with chicken and it was so-so. The chicken was bland and dry and I wished the dish had more sauce because it needed the flavor (and moisture). The noodles were cooked nicely and were easy to chew. So what have I learned from my experience? I learned that each Vietnamese restaurant is different and I can't throw the baby out with the bathwater just because I got a bum dish from one of them. I learned that because I prefer savory flavors and marinated meats I need to ask which dishes have these strong flavors. I will eat here again when I'm in town. The staff is very kind and friendly and I really hope this place succeeds. Sandusky is in dire need of some culture!!
(4)Mike P.
Mekong's slogan is "BEER IS THE ANSWER." Unfortunately, the question was: "How good is your food?" SERVICE: The service was excellent. The waiter was friendly, funny, helpful, and accurate. The food came out in a reasonable amount of time. No complaints in this department. BEER: WOW! I was pretty much blown away! Over 90 brands of bottled beer and at least 10 brands on tap. This is good stuff, too; only about 5 or 6 of these were low quality crap beers. They also had wine and some interesting sounding mixed drinks. FOOD: The food is not bad. BUT, I've eaten here three times, and I was really hoping to be able to say something like, "This food is totally worth the drive from Toledo!!" But, that just wouldn't be true. No bahn mi. The bottom line is that pretty much everything was bland. From the pho (chicken, beef/meatball, seafood) to the peanut sauce for the spring rolls, things were a little under-flavored. If you are in Sandusky for some other reason (Cedar Point?), Mekong is worth a stop. But if you live in Toledo, and crave Vietnamese food that's really good, stay in town, or, head up to Ypsi. 3 stars for the food, 5 stars for the beer! Average is 4 stars, baby! Not too shabby.
(4)adam w.
Best place in Sandusky!! Fantastic pho, probably the best I've ever had. And to top it off they have an outstanding BEER selection. If I lived here I'd be a regular for sure.
(5)Jean S.
DELISH! I can't believe this place is in the middle of Sandusky, OH. We were in town to spend a couple of days at Great Wolf Lodge (ugh) and hopped on Yelp to find something good to eat that didn't entail a drive through or fries. We have never had Vietnamese food before, but were intrigued by the menu and decided to give it a try. We are so glad we did! We were even planning on going back a second night, but we decided to skip out on GWL earlier than planned. Get the fried chicken appetizer!!!!!!!!!! I dream about those wings & drummettes! OMG! Seriously, the hubs and I were hoping that our girls wouldn't like them so that we could scarf more down. But who couldn't like them?!?! We gave in and ordered a second platter and, because one daughter didn't see anything she preferred on the menu, she decided to make it a meal out of them, with a side of rice. My other daughter had the grilled beef platter, my husband had a stir fried steak meal and I had the grilled shrimp platter. Everything was really tasty, but nothing beat the appetizer. I highly recommend you trying this place out if you ever find yourself in the fast food chain main street of Sandusky, OH. You'll be happy for the relief from burgers and fries!
(4)David R.
Great food! First time eating here and it was so good I ordered more to go! Bringing my wife back here Friday on a date.
(5)Jenny P.
The special Mekong wings were delicious. It tasted like it was tossed in a sweet fish sauce. My brother had the bun Dac biet and I had the pho Dac biet. They had a great selection of craft beers and their glasses were really cool. I was bummed when I found out that they weren't for sale. We'll definitely make this part of our cedar point adventure!!!
(5)Thomas C.
Good pho frequently comes in the most unexpected places. This restaurant is in a huge strip of box stores and hotels in smelly Sandusky. It's an odd mixture of worlds when you walk in there: a little bit TGI Fridays, a bit alehouse, and only a wee bit of the customary pho restaurant grunge. The Vietnamese owner talks football and microbrews with his customers, who are predominantly frumpy middle-America Ohio State football fans and mall shoppers. Funny scene. Getting to the food, although the vegetable selection was meager and both the basil and bean sprouts were past their prime, the pho was excellent in the category that counts the most: the broth. The meat left something to be desired in the thinness and tenderness category, but was perfectly acceptable. The noodles were chewy and delicious. Overall a very satisfying bowl, despite the few flaws. Pho lovers stuck in less pho-endowed areas of the country (like most of Ohio besides Columbus) will go to great lengths to find a decent bowl within a reasonable driving distance. Although this place leaves a little bit to be desired, it should do the trick to relieve a craving for any pho lover.
(4)Leeann K.
Really excellent! Comparable, better even, than many places in NY. Attentive, friendly service that takes care of your needs without being intrusive. The food is fresh and delicious- not heavy, as many restaurants in the area can be. As if it couldn't get better, they have over 100 beers on their menu. Mekong=heaven for a city girl visiting Sandusky!
(5)Danielle F.
Not too bad for middle of nowhere Ohio! I had the beef pho and rocket shrimp. The pho was huge. The broth wasn't the best I've had, but the flavor was good. Pho is a comfort food for me and it did the trick tonight! The rocket shrimp were over cooked, but not terribly. The service was fast and friendly.
(3)Lexie V.
What a gem! I was truly shocked to find such a great place in the middle of Ohio. I have actually never seen such an extensive and impressive beer menu. They have 3 Floyds! That's hard to find even in Chicago and NW Indiana which is where the highly rated brewery is located. Not only that, but they had some rare 3 Floyds brews. The owner is fantastic. We chatted with him while we waited for our takeout. He is hilarious and he made the perfect menu recommendations. Our food was really, really good. Again, I'm shocked to have found such great ethnic food in Sandusky Ohio. It rivals the extremely popular Tank Noodles in Chicago. I will definitely be coming back here every time I go to Cedar Point.
(5)Robert O.
Fantastic! Great food here, and coming from Hawaii, and actually eaten authentic vietnamese food in Vietnam, this is a great find for Sandusky. This restaurant would compete with any D.C. restaurant when you compare the food, price and extensive drink menu. We were staying at the Great Wolf Lodge for 2 nights, and after eating blah pizza and salad there, we found Mekong. We went for lunch AND dinner our last night in Sandusky. Don't miss this place if you are in the area!
(4)Erin C.
I've visited this place 4-5 times, and with each visit, this place has gone downhill. The first time we visited was about a month after it opened. The food was great, the drinks were great, and the service was outstanding (5 stars!). I thought I finally found my go-to place in Sandusky. Our last visit, however, was such a turn off, that I have no intentions on returning (1 star). The final straw occurred on Mother's Day. I had spent the day at Cedar Point with my Mom, daughter, and my husband (who surprised me, since he was out-of-town for business). Beautiful day, no crowds, perfect! We decided to get an early dinner and came here. When we entered, no one was at the host stand, and we weren't greeted for another couple of minutes. Either the host was new or didn't usually work the front, because she seemed overwhelmed and confused. I get it. It's a busy day. We get seated, and it just goes down from there. I don't want to turn this into a novel, so I'll just run down the issues: they refused to make me a Mai Thai because the only bartender who knew how to make it was not in that day, the steps of service were VERY slow, our waiter was completely in the weeds (which I get) and was EXTREMELY rude (which is inexcusable!)- he made us feel like a burden for just sitting there, and the only thing he said to us was how stupid his boss was for only scheduling 1-2 waiters for Mother's Day (he was right about that). He forgot many items (beer, my accoutrements for my pho, etc). The pho also tasted a little "off" this last time. A little bitter, like they didn't thoroughly wash/boil the bones prior to using them for broth. It may be that Columbus offers so many good pho options that I now know how good pho should taste. Or it could be that I could actually taste the broth since I wasn't able to douse my soup with basil, Jalapeñoes, etc. One thing was for sure:I couldn't get out of there fast enough! Our visit here put a bit of a damper of the day. Luckily, we were quickly cheered up by the Menchies across the street. Let me also point out that this is the sister restaurant to the Mekong the owner also has in Richmond, VA. While it also offers some Vietnamese faire, it is beer-centric. So maybe if you come here with a focus on the beer and consider the food as bar food, you'll be less disappointed than I was. On a positive note: the pear cider is fabulous after a hot day at the Point, and it is reasonably priced!
(2)Andrea C.
My mom and I stumbled upon this place while we were at the Sandusky Mall. We LOVE Vietnamese food. This place is GREAT! A classy dining room, great beer bar (it's won national awards!), and excellent food! I ordered beef pho and my mom got the chicken in yellow curry sauce. Both were amazing. Not too spicy, and they had plenty of spicy sauces on the side if you wanted to add heat. The steamed spring rolls were great as well. Definitely coming back here next time we're in Ohio!
(5)Josh W.
Really fresh and delicious food! We got vegetable spring rolls, Jasmine rice with shrimp, and string bean vegetable dish with basil sauce. All of it was great
(5)Tess T.
This place was delicious! Had a nice relaxing dinner after spending the first part of the day at cedar point. Nice to have something other than burgers and fries. I had the meatball and beef pho which tasted amazing. Service was fast and friendly. Our water glasses never went near empty which was great because we were all very dehydrated. Definitely recommend this place to anyone looking for some yummy food and nice refreshing break from the loud and crazy atmosphere of the park :)
(5)N M.
Healthiest food option in this area. And delicious. Excellent pho and atmosphere ( clean/ newly renovated venue). Highly recommend.
(5)George H.
This place is hands-down the best Vietnamese restaurant I have ever been to - add that to an amazing selections of beer, I am SERIOUSLY jealous of Sandusky residents for more than their proximity to Cedar Point. I live in the Chicago suburbs and have been to multiple Vietnamese restaurants but the huge selection of food menu items AND the quality of preparation far outshines anywhere I have gone to so far. The bar has definitely been raised! The beer list is incredible with over 100 beers to choose from. As their tagline says, "Beer is the answer!" We brought along some friends who never had tried Vietnamese before and (for lack of a better term) we served as culinary ambassadors giving them food recommendations. Everyone at the table enjoyed their meals, For the five of us, what was ordered were two beef pho soups, 'make your own' spring roll, jumbo shrimp with spicy lemongrass sauce and pork with curry. The service was great and attentive, but without feeling like they were hovering. Since I am not a local, I (unfortunately) will not be back often, but Mekong will definitely be on the top of my list when I return to Cedar Point...or should I say I will return to Cedar Point when I go for dinner at Mekong? ;)
(5)Jeff K.
Had the Pho Ga (Pho with chicken). EXCELLENT! The broth was delicate & delicious. The portion is huge! I'm going to have to go through the menu when I come back to my hometown.
(4)Eric C.
Hey you looking for Applebees on Rt. 250. What the hell are you doing? Mekong is down the road and it's whoops the hiney of every establishment along Rt 250. It's that good! So here's the deal, if you like beer and/or Asian food, then you must make this a regular stop. t's not inauthentic, but the food seems tamed down a bit for an American audience, which is good because I want this place to survive. At any rate, the food tastes awesome, especially for the town, and the service is impeccable. And the beer..... oh the beer. There's more beer than you can imagine. It looks like this place went to every distributor and said, "I'll take it all." What to do if you don't know anything about beer? Well, just talk to your server. They all seem to know about every beer available and they can also present you with a beer menu that includes pictures and descriptions. And all the beer is served in the proper glass for the style!! Mekong is the best spot for beer in Erie County, hands down. Holy what!?!? How did Perkins/Sandusky end up with such an awesome joint. Food and beer finally made its way to Sandtown and Mekong is an awesome addition to the mix. Max and Erma's is no more--long live Mekong!
(5)Brian K.
Great food, service and up scale find in Sandusky. The best microbrews on tap and local wine slection around. Looking foward to coming back soon.
(5)Lucas G.
It's safe to say this is my favorite restaurant in the world. I have eaten at a ton of places in Columbus, Cleveland, and all around ohio. If you are looking for good fast service, perfect food, a perfect atmosphere, and the best drinks...Look No Further! All that really needs to be said is that there is not one negative review or a review under 4 stars on yelp at the time of my reviewing. That's an incredible feat for a restaurant that has only been around for a little over a year. The menu is among the best I've ever seen. Just open and point and I personally guarantee that it will be good. I have done this multiple times and never have been disappointed. -Recommendations- Apps- The chicken wings are phenomenal, the rocket shrimp are amazing, The rolls are fantastic. Main menu- Anything clay pot style, grill platters, PHO!!!!!, the salad bowls!, the flat noodle, BBQ quail. Drinks- They have over 100 bottled beers from around the world. Then there is like 10 craft brews on tap that change weekly.The best beer bar in the world considering that they also serve the best Vietnamese food ever. Everything is world class authentic Vietnamese. If you're reading this please please go here it's that great! You will never forget this place!
(5)Luke Z.
Very good service and clean restaurant. Huge beer selection and pretty large menu. We went for lunch on a Saturday and did not have to wait.
(4)Tom C.
I've only eaten here once, but this place stands out within the otherwise culturally homogenous town of Sandusky. I was excited to eat here and very pleased with my own food. I ordered the hot and sour soup with fish and the broth tasted very much like thai Tom Yum. It was a much less potent taste than you would get in thailand (I lived there for a year), but then this isn't thailand...it isn't even a thai restaurant. The portion of fish they gave was VERY generous. I was super happy with my massive bowl of perfectly cooked fish filets. I tried a little bit of the meat from some other dishes (from things my family ordered) and it tasted good. A few people got stir-fried noodles though and they looked really boring, so I might recommend against that whole page of the menu. I would definitely recommend this place to other people; it's surprisingly good for Sandusky. Looking around the restaurant, which was doing good business on a weeknight, not all of the dishes look good, but some look spectacular. I recommend you NOT order something boring / safe. Step outside of your comfort zone a little bit and I bet you will be handsomely rewarded.
(4)J G.
Clay pots, noodle salad, and basil pork, all amazing. Family style was the way to go, sharing great meals. And the beers were wonderful too. Great find!
(5)Chuck A.
Friendly service, good price and very authentic. The pork basil was just as I remembered with a nice little kick.
(4)Brian S.
Really delicious and handled my peanut allergy fabulously!!! Great place to stop and have some pho!!! Also holy frijoles they have a lot of beer! Who knew?
(5)Tina W.
We went in on the first day they opened with an open mind. I try to not have high expectations for an opening as there's usually a few kinks to work out. Well, first day or not, this place really delivered and exceeded my expectations! The staff and kitchen worked it out like the place had been open for months. The menu had so many delicious offerings but I decided on the pho as there's really none to be found around here. It was presented with all the fresh, delicious offerings you would expect and was all around delicious. The decor is tastefully streamlined and a nice break from the miles of trendy chains on 250. It feels more like the independent restaurants you find downtown then anything else out on the golden mile. If my first experience is any indication of what's to come from Mekong, I see myself frequenting this place quite often.
(4)Joel S.
Read the reviews and decided to try this restaurant. Was incredible food was delicious had the pho soup and soft noodles with chicken. Have been back again and was great. Definitely a must stop if you are in the area.
(5)Binnan O.
Ordered: Pho Tai (beef noodle soup) Price: $8.49 w/o tip Ambiance: Pretty upscale place that blends the feel of a beer bar with its chalk listings of brews with that of a modern restaurant with dark browns tables, reddish benches, and dimmer lighting; definitely not what you think of with vietnamese food. I have no idea what the tippers are saying about filth, this place seemed clean to me. The servers were very friendly although it was pretty dead when I went in. I was seated immediately, got my order taken in 2 minutes and had my food out to about 4 minutes later, it was awesome. I did notice that my bench was abnormally low relative to the table. I was seating from a bowl at the level of my sternum which was awkward but maybe i'm just too short. Seems like there are a lot of regulars that come in though as the waiters like to make small talk with them. Food: The quintessential soul of a vietnamese restaurant is the beef broth which is why I tried it first and I gotta say it was good. There was a good level of saltiness and savoriness which tells me they didn't skimp on the bones. The only flaw with the broth is that the added sugar to it to "round out" it's flavor profile but beef broth shouldn't be sweet just like chicken broth isn't. Regardless, the noodles were perfectly cooked being neither clumpy or chewy, just the perfect amount of bite. They restrained themselves on the white and green onions, giving you the flavor without overpowering everything. The beef steak was also sliced thin, neither tender-nor-tough, and also well-portioned. Overall the meal was satisfying albeit slightly over-priced, then again, this place has the vietnamese market cornered and they offer a fun ambiance. The beef noodle soup was pretty good although it would be better if they reduced the sugar they put into it. Otherwise I look forward to coming here again and trying some other things on their menu.
(4)Ted P.
Great pho and vermicelli dishes. A wide selection of beers in bottles and on tap. The interior is clean and colorful. The friendly staff really takes care of you. No kids meals were offered for our 7 and 8 yr old, but they were able to split a fried rice dish.
(5)D'Anna N.
Went there today with 2 girl friends, had read all the reviews on here & had told them how good it sounded none of us had been yet, the food was great we all got something different & there wasn't a complaint on the flavors & tastes among us, the servers we prompt but not friendly didn't smile much, but that being said we will be back again.
(4)Cwart E.
We were in town visiting from Pittsburgh, PA and this is the best Vietnamese food I have ever had!! My husband and I fought over the leftovers. Everything was so flavorful and amazing.
(5)Mandy P.
This place was awesome! After a long day at Cedar Point all we wanted was a good meal. Not a chain restaurant. We came across Mekong while driving and looked it up and read all of the wonderful reviews. This place was the best Vietnamese restaurant ever! We live in Cleveland, but I would be tempted to drive just to go here again. Will definitely visit every time I am in the area.
(4)Steve S.
First, if you are looking for microbrews in Sandusky, then this is the place! I know, I know....it doesn't make sense, but they know their stuff. Great quality beer list, and the owner gave us personal service, including finding a special 3 Floyd's from his personal stash and giving it to us on the house. When was the last time that happened! A lot of quality, hard to find Belgians too. We sat out on the beautiful patio and enjoyed both great beer and food. There was a good variety of food on the menu and it was fresh and hot. Even my kids liked it. Typically, I don't write reviews, but I felt I needed to share this very positive experience.
(5)Lindsey W.
I love this place. We came to visit Cedar Point and ate here twice. We love the string bean with basil, grilled beef and shrimp, and the veggie spring rolls!
(5)Jonathan B.
Fantastic Vietnamese food in Ohio! I ordered the Chicken Pho and Pork Fried Rice. Both were excellent and I found myself unable to stop eating. However, I found the pairing of beer with Vietnamese food to be somewhat strange. Don't get me wrong I loved the extensive beer selection and the beer I ended up having was great, but craft beer just doesn't jive well with Vietnamese food. I finished the night with a Vietnamese iced coffee, which was fantastic. I'll definitely be back in the future, but I might have to skip the beer (or drink beer and skip the food).
(4)Kerry D.
Pleasantly surprised by great food and friendly service! The menu offers a lot of choices and the ingredients were fresh and tasty. Great noodle dishes, pho and veggie options. Nice alternative from all the typical chains.
(4)Luisanna R.
Saw this place on the side of the road on our way to Cedar Point of course. It looked really interesting. It far exceeded my expectations. If i lived in Sandusky I would come here at the very least once a week. The food is so good. I can't say whether or not it's super authentic but judging by the food i used to have in that area of the world I would have to say it's about as good as you can get. Try something new. Be a bit adventurous and don't be afraid to ask for hot sauce :)
(5)Darks C.
My favorite restaurant in Sandusky! The Pho is amazing,carmelized chicken in a clay pot and appetizer sampler for 2.talk about yum! And dont forget...beer is the answer!
(5)Michael W.
Wife and I came across this place on our last night in Sandusky after a long day at Cedar Point. We came in at closing time, but they stayed open late for us as we hadn't had Vietnamese food before. Ordered the appetizer sampler for 2, which was a mix of rolls and was delicious. I ordered the Mekong Shaken Beef and the wife ordered the Beef Pho on recommendation from the bartender. Both dishes were excellent, and the portion sizes were more than enough. The staff left and we spent the rest of our meal chatting with the chef, Chung, who talked beer and business with us for more than an hour. We enjoyed this so much, and Chung was so welcoming and nice that we will be stopping back for an early lunch before we leave town. Thanks, Chung! Mekong was fantastic!
(5)Teddy B.
I wanted to go to Mekong wayyyy before it opened, like as soon as i found what kind of food it was going to be. When I finally got to visit nearly a year after it opened, I was not disappointed. The Pho has been the best I have had since my return from Vietnam many years ago. My only complaint is that I wish they had more locations! Great atmosphere, laid back with many great options. A definite stop every time we head out to Cedar Point from Cleveland.
(5)Wiliam C.
Was in the area on business and drove by the place a few times but was short on time at the moment. Had the opportunity to go for lunch and it was outstanding. Service was friendly an attentive. Ordered the steamed spring rolls and beef/meatball pho and it was incredible. Earthy, deep, and lush. Wish I could have ordered the meatballs by themselves. It was busy at lunch so it looks like I don't need to let the locals know. Highly recommended!
(5)Shelley D.
While visiting family, we decided to try out this place. Usually, good Vietnamese places are a little seedy. So I wasn't so sure that this place was going to have good pho. Much to my surprise, the crispy spring rolls and pho was really flavorful. Maybe too many noodles and not enough meat, but the broth was delicious. Worth the trip down busy Milan Ave.
(4)John J.
We had a long day at Cedar Point and had been eating fatty nasty food in Ohio for days (we're not used to the home cooking/lack of colorful foods). We needed something clean, healthier, with color, not just brown food. Mekong was amazing. Flavorful, light, fresh. We ordered a bunch of dishes and did it family style. I think the consensus was that the salads with the noodles underneath. The meat was crispy, greens and herbs were fresh, and noodles were perfectly cooked. Dump some of the sauce on top, and you're in heaven. Great list of beers on tap. Service was especially spectacular, and we met the owner who was friendly and funny. Next year when we go back to Ohio to see our family and go to Cedar Point, we will DEFINITELY be going back again. Can't wait!
(5)Alex W.
I really enjoyed this gem of Sandusky. I frequently travel for business and am super conscious of healhty eating. I was grateful to find a place with lots of fresh veggies, lean meats, and brown rice...all super tasty. I liked it so much I ordered lunch to-go for the next day too!
(5)Christy P.
I wouldn't say its authentic (compared to other Vietnamese restaurants) but it was delicious. I had the bun and my sister's had pho. No complaints. A bit crowded but I enjoyed the dinner and the atmosphere.
(4)Donnell S.
I've been here a few times now and I havn't had anything I didn't absolutely enjoy. Their soft rolls are especially good. Service and drinks are great!
(4)Paul K.
Awesome food here! Calamari was fresh, not dry and small like others. Pho was phantastic. The best part was the beer menu. Great selection of bottled and seasonal draft varieties. I had a Weihenstephan weissbier which was one of the best wheat beers I've had. Nice place to drop by after a long day at Cedar Point.
(4)Kim E.
Excellent beer and food...loved my pho. Can't believe there is such a good Vietnamese restaurant hidden in sandusky!
(5)Sam P.
We had the following: Spring rolls, fried pork dumplings, rice ravioli, caramelized chicken, wide rice noddles and chicken, grilled beef and rice. All were ok. Nothing was terrific but good enough and there aren't a lot of choices in Sandusky. The one thing I will add is that the staff was very fun and pleasant. If I were to go back, and I might if in Sandusky, it would be, in part, for the staff. I also had one of the house special cocktails because it was one of the strangest I've ever come across, in terms of ingredients I wouldn't put together; Bhat (???) XEO. The ingredients are good whiskey, butterscotch schnapps and orange juice. And .... it was good! And very strange.
(3)Cory R.
Food was great, definitely your best option in chain city Sandusky. But I was berated by the younger Vietnamese man for enjoying a beer on their menu. I was on vacation, so I ordered an uncommon Belgium beer, Gulden Draak, that was on draft. It was a few more bucks than I usually spend on beer. It was a good deal because normally it's almost $5 in a grocery or liquor store for a one serving bottle and it was $8 here. I drink craft beer pretty regularly, but tend to go on the cheaper side so I'd never had anything like it and I told the man it was very good and that I'd never had anything like it (10.5% ABV and it was very smooth!). His response - "What, do you normally drink Miller Lite?" Thanks for that wonderful response and for making me feel bad about enjoying a beer on your menu. I guess I'm just not sophisticated enough to drink beer at your restaurant unless I'm used to obscure Belgium beers. Other than that remark, service was fine, but I guess Mekong is for beer snobs.
(3)