Spartan Vietnamese spot doling out a variety of noodle soups, plus vermicelli bowls & rices dishes.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 3071 Nutley St, Fairfax, VA 22031
Phone: (703) 208-9679
Website: http://gaoconcept.com/
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GAO RESTAURANT – FAIRFAX, VA | Online Ordering – Clover
GAO RESTAURANT. 3071 NUTLEY ST, FAIRFAX VA. (703) 208-9679. Closed. A. Appetizers. Fried Egg Rolls (2 rolls). $6.00. Two pieces of deep-fried dough wrappers …
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Reviews
Rachel K
I stopped by because I was craving pho on a rainy day, and it was perfect. The hostess/server lady was incredibly friendly, and the pho had a rich, deep broth with generous portions. The Vietnamese coffee was so good too. It was also a great spot for dining alone. I’d definitely come back again!
… moreArianna Faye
We stopped into Gao for a quick bite after shopping at Microcenter (love that it’s right next door!) and were in the mood for some good banh mis. We were seated right away and our server was super friendly. The inside has very minimal decor, super simple setup, but honestly, that’s usually how you know the food’s going to be good.
I ordered a Thai tea which was delicious. We had our hearts set on the beef banh mi, but were told they didn’t have beef, unsure if it was just an inventory issue or if they’ve taken it off the menu altogether. We went with the pork banh mi instead, and it was absolutely worth it, great flavor, fresh bread, and just the right portion.
That said, there were a couple of small sanitary things that gave us pause (my husband’s water glass wasn’t very clean and had gunk stuck to it, and the restroom could’ve used more attention.. seems some people didn’t know how to flush if you know what I mean) but the food was so good that it kind of balanced everything out. Definitely worth stopping by, and we’ll be back to try more!
… moreI ordered a Thai tea which was delicious. We had our hearts set on the beef banh mi, but were told they didn’t have beef, unsure if it was just an inventory issue or if they’ve taken it off the menu altogether. We went with the pork banh mi instead, and it was absolutely worth it, great flavor, fresh bread, and just the right portion.
That said, there were a couple of small sanitary things that gave us pause (my husband’s water glass wasn’t very clean and had gunk stuck to it, and the restroom could’ve used more attention.. seems some people didn’t know how to flush if you know what I mean) but the food was so good that it kind of balanced everything out. Definitely worth stopping by, and we’ll be back to try more!
J C
All the critical ingredients ranging from old-school pho shop decor, pho pictures on menu, beef soup saturating the air, to a sundry of high-expectation pictures loaded on Yelp and GoogleMap, is setting up Gao to possibly be a great pho restaurant offering deep-flavored pho boals.
Long story short, the pho broth was not clear, was murky, overall bowl and ingredients didn’t compare well to other pho places we go. The other item, bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup), is not flavorful with stale-tasting beef broth & cube cut pieces of beef that ad zero marbling or fat making the beef dry to the chew. Additionally, both the siracha and hoisin sauces are refilled in their custom decor containers but the siracha sauce tasted watered down. We were hungry so we also ordered summer rolls and a bahn mi sandwich which was disapointingly bland – the ingredients seemed and tasted fresh but when eat together as a sandwich, none of the flavors or ingredients worked and there was very litte chicken liver pate flavor which is what makes bahn mi a bahn mi.
The staff is very nice, but this review is about the food and the two soup noodle bowls are unexpectedly mediocre; too bad, I’m sad.
… moreLong story short, the pho broth was not clear, was murky, overall bowl and ingredients didn’t compare well to other pho places we go. The other item, bun bo hue (spicy beef noodle soup), is not flavorful with stale-tasting beef broth & cube cut pieces of beef that ad zero marbling or fat making the beef dry to the chew. Additionally, both the siracha and hoisin sauces are refilled in their custom decor containers but the siracha sauce tasted watered down. We were hungry so we also ordered summer rolls and a bahn mi sandwich which was disapointingly bland – the ingredients seemed and tasted fresh but when eat together as a sandwich, none of the flavors or ingredients worked and there was very litte chicken liver pate flavor which is what makes bahn mi a bahn mi.
The staff is very nice, but this review is about the food and the two soup noodle bowls are unexpectedly mediocre; too bad, I’m sad.
Erica J Myers
Having been to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, I would like to say that I am infinitely impressed with GAO. Firstly, not many Vietnamese restaurants here serve crepes. Other than in Vietnam, the last time we had a crepe was in Montreal’s Chinatown area.
The spring roll was so crispy! And plenty of accompanying veggies/herbs. These guys make sure you are full!
GAO’s crepe had that delicate crispiness, while being stuffed with goodness. The flavor is satisfyingly light and delicious. I had the Bun Bo Hue (another thing hard to find, but hidden as “Spicy Beef Pho” at other restaurants).
GAO was accommodating to my ‘no noodles’ request (due to bariatric surgery). And their tendon was perfectly chopped and plentiful. I love the melting chewiness of tendon. I also love spiciness and GAO staff provided their best sate chili oil. This pho was perfection! The broth was flavorful and refreshing. It challenges and beats even my favorite Vietnamese restaurant’s pho broth.
GAO’s staff was attentive and remarkable. I appreciate the accommodations and details in the service. They made the meal and experience I cannot wait to revisit.
PROS:
Price
Plenty of parking
Cleanliness
Staff
Flavor
CONS:
Shopping Center location
OVERALL:
For the price, this is a worthwhile Vietnamese restaurant that shouldn’t be overlooked. The food is really good. The staff is gracious and just purely awesome. I cannot recommend this place enough. Pho is wonderful comfort food and GAO delivers a mighty Pho packed with a personal love of Vietnamese tradition.
… moreThe spring roll was so crispy! And plenty of accompanying veggies/herbs. These guys make sure you are full!
GAO’s crepe had that delicate crispiness, while being stuffed with goodness. The flavor is satisfyingly light and delicious. I had the Bun Bo Hue (another thing hard to find, but hidden as “Spicy Beef Pho” at other restaurants).
GAO was accommodating to my ‘no noodles’ request (due to bariatric surgery). And their tendon was perfectly chopped and plentiful. I love the melting chewiness of tendon. I also love spiciness and GAO staff provided their best sate chili oil. This pho was perfection! The broth was flavorful and refreshing. It challenges and beats even my favorite Vietnamese restaurant’s pho broth.
GAO’s staff was attentive and remarkable. I appreciate the accommodations and details in the service. They made the meal and experience I cannot wait to revisit.
PROS:
Price
Plenty of parking
Cleanliness
Staff
Flavor
CONS:
Shopping Center location
OVERALL:
For the price, this is a worthwhile Vietnamese restaurant that shouldn’t be overlooked. The food is really good. The staff is gracious and just purely awesome. I cannot recommend this place enough. Pho is wonderful comfort food and GAO delivers a mighty Pho packed with a personal love of Vietnamese tradition.
Patrick Min
It had been several years since my last visit, and I was eager to indulge in some Pho. I decided to try the Viet Special Spicy Beef Noodle Soup, which resembled Bun Bo Hue. The dish was generously topped with chili oil and had a flavorful initial taste. However, as I continued eating, I noticed a tingly and slightly numbing sensation that I attributed to a higher-than-expected amount of MSG, which isn’t quite my preference. The Shrimp Egg Rolls were decent, but they didn’t stand out. The service was satisfactory, although I found some language barriers with the server that made communication challenging. The restaurant’s atmosphere was spacious and clean, but I believe there’s potential for further enhancement to create a more inviting ambiance.
… moreTAI “DANIEL SAN” LE
I dont think the ways they wash and clean the utensils is up to standard. The food is alright not a “wow” experience. I feel unsafe seeing this.
… moreWouldNot Recommend
Pho was great. I asked to replace beef with pork chops and the server had to go to the back 3 times to check if they could… and he was super annoyed with me… not sure what was up with him. The Pho was 5 stars. 3 star for weird service
… moreH A
Vietnamese noodles -Pho, pronounced like the end of sofu (in Asian countries). But here in the US go ahead and call it “Foe”. Because in the US we might require a spin on the originals but I love how we have changed the pronunciation and added a plate full of sprouts, slices of jalapenos, (that special basil is still there), and a good old fashioned lime wedge. I think everything else about the soup is very traditional. Virginia and Maryland (DC area) really do have some of the best Vietnamese noodles in the world! This restaurant helps that claim. I also enjoyed how attentive they were.
… moreMott Key
This family owned small cafe has become our new Phở spot. The main thing is a soup of course and this dish is made up to perfection. Clean place and very attentive personnel. Not overpriced.
More details:
water smell/quality – 4/5
appetizers – 5/5
main course (Phở, despite that Basil had some dark spots) – 5/5
overall cleanliness – 5/5
bathroom cleanliness – 5/5
… moreMore details:
water smell/quality – 4/5
appetizers – 5/5
main course (Phở, despite that Basil had some dark spots) – 5/5
overall cleanliness – 5/5
bathroom cleanliness – 5/5
Jo Han
This isn’t the first order that I have had at this restaurant. During rainy day or cold day when you crave something warm and rich, I always ordered pho, fresh rolls, and chicken wings. When you eat the pho, you can tell that they don’t hold back on ingredients and everything tastes really good. Unfortunately during covid times I didn’t feel comfortable eating in the restaurant so I had to take them as a carry out. Therefore, it really tastes better when you actually eat at the restaurant for both chicken wings and pho. Try them out especially when you crave something rich and tasteful. =)
… more