Is Quang worth the drive to Eat Street if I’m not already in south Minneapolis? That’s usually the first thing people ask me when I bring it up. The answer is yes, and honestly the drive isn’t even the obstacle you’re imagining — Nicollet Avenue between 24th and 29th Streets has become one of the more reliable stretches for a good meal in the city, and Quang sits right in the middle of it, a Vietnamese institution that’s been feeding this neighborhood since 1989.
I’ve been going for about seven years now. Long enough to stop looking at the menu, which is enormous and can feel paralyzing the first time. Here’s what I’d tell you to do: order the pho dac biet — the special combination, with the brisket, tendon, tripe, and meatballs all in one bowl — and let it show you what the kitchen can do. The broth is the whole argument. It’s clear and deeply fragrant, with that anise-forward warmth that takes hours to build, and it comes out genuinely hot. A large is around $17 and it’s a serious amount of food. Bring a friend and split one of the bánh mì to start, which run between $5 and $7 depending on the filling. The grilled pork version is the one I keep going back to.
What I’ve always appreciated about Quang is that it doesn’t perform for anyone. The dining room is straightforward — booths, tile floor, bright lighting, a few framed photos. It seats maybe 60 people and feels like a neighborhood restaurant because it is one. The staff moves fast. On a Saturday around noon, there will almost certainly be a line out the door and down the sidewalk, and it will move faster than you expect. Weekday lunches are calmer; I usually try to get there by 11:30 if I want to sit immediately.
Beyond the pho, the bun bo Hue is worth your attention if you want something with more of a chili-forward kick — it’s a Central Vietnamese beef noodle soup that’s spicier and a little more complex than the pho, and not every Vietnamese restaurant in the Twin Cities does it well. Quang does. I also like the spring rolls here more than most places; the wrappers are fresh and the herb-to-filling ratio is right.
The pricing throughout the menu is honest. You’ll rarely spend more than $20 a person with a drink, and if you go for lunch and keep it simple, $13 or $14 covers you comfortably. They take cards but there’s no tableside payment; you settle up at the front.
Parking is on-street on Nicollet or on the side streets, and in good weather it’s a genuine pleasure to walk the block or two from wherever you land. The neighborhood has a mix of longtime Vietnamese and East African businesses, a couple of good bakeries nearby, and enough pedestrian energy that it feels lived-in rather than curated.
Quang is open Tuesday through Sunday; they’re closed Mondays. Hours run roughly 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., though I’d confirm before you go since they’ve adjusted over the years. If you’ve never been, go on a Tuesday in winter when you need something warming and the city feels a little gray. A bowl of that pho will recalibrate your afternoon in the best possible way.
