Cong Tu Bot - Portland, Maine

Joyce Quach

Nice aesthetic. Rather pricy for the portions. Garlic noodles were tasty. Good food in general, not authentic. Split 3 dishes with a party of 3. Service is a bit lacking (no water refills) and/but we ate from 6-6:45 pm on a Monday. Waitress was nice and definitely busy.

aishwarya kumar

Some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. Every dish is thoughtfully put together and the flavors are just incredible. The cabbage salad was delightful and so refreshing, the stir fried rice noodles was spicy and full of complex flavors, the twice-cooked eggplant was smoky and wonderful and finally the coconut milk curry with rice was a perfect final dish to finish off the meal. It felt like a hug in a bowl.

Jason Covert

Absolutely lovely restaurant. The food was spectacular and full of bright flavors. The staff was kind and attentive without being overbearing. The setting is a mix of open space and industrial modern design. Some clever little touches like the wooden boxes built to cover the overhead ducting make for a pleasant and interesting dining room.

Kaylyn Carpenter

We were a little unsure about this spot given some of the reviews, but we are glad we gave it a shot! (TLDR of said reviews - don't expect authenticity and don't get the pho)

Two of us shared 3 dishes (and 2 serves of rice)- the eggplant and the shaken beef were both absolutely incredible! So. Much. Flavor. We also had the curried beans ("the chef's special") which was a definite low point compared to the other two dishes.

I was too excited for the beef dish to take a photo, but it was also beautifully presented.

The portions were so that we didn't have any leftovers. We sat at the bar / chefs counter and enjoyed watching them as they worked/interacted.

Service was attentive and helpful!

Hannah Roos

We had a delicious meal here. The standout dish was the curried beans (limited availability) but we also really enjoyed the generous serving of shrimp fried rice, and if softened eggplant texture isn’t a problem for you, the eggplant is delicious. The wine list was great as well. Looking forward to coming back to Cong Tu Bot on our next Portland trip.

Ansel Barnum

You wouldn’t know it was Vietnamese from the Brazilian music or American staff or hip decor or the dishes seem to be untraditional. Nevertheless, everything was delicious, even out of takeout containers which we ate from at the adjacent brewery where you can order when the restaurant doesn’t have seating available. And that boozy beverage will come in handy to extinguish the ?on some of the ?️ dishes!

stephanie holfus

Didn't have to wait too long on a Sunday night. Great atmosphere, very accommodating for my Mom who wasn't quite comfortable at a high top. Great drinks, piping hot Chicken Pho. It was great! Walkable for the local neighborhood where we stayed at a VRBO.

Amaury S

I was skeptical about Cong Tu Bot at first. The reviews were pretty mixed — and I get why. It’s definitely not for everyone! The food is elevated, but I’m not sure it’s quite elevated enough to match the price point. It wasn’t a cheap meal. The ambiance is great, but don’t expect a fancy spot (which we actually appreciated; it fits the laid-back vibe of Washington Ave perfectly; you’ll be sitting on wooden tables and get paper menus). That said, we really enjoyed it and would come back.

The food was a highlight for us. The dishes were aromatic and packed with flavor — and some were seriously spicy, which was a nice surprise, and that’s coming from someone with a high spice tolerance. However, for the price, the portions could definitely be a bit more generous.

We also enjoyed the ambiance. We loved the mix of indoor and outdoor seating, and the outdoor space still felt like part of the main dining area. The open kitchen setup tied it all together. Overall, it’s a great pick for when you’re craving Asian food that’s somewhere between casual and upscale without feeling stuffy.