Viet Grill

After many years of visiting Viet Grill / Cay Tre and recommending both restaurants to anyone who will listen, I visited tonight with a pregnant girlfriend of mine. Having enjoyed our starters, our mains were served and swiftly removed as we took our last bite; within moments we received our bill without asking. We were then asked, by an incredibly rude waitress, to leave the restaurant immediately as someone else needed our table. Clearly as we were drinking water, our bill was not going to be hefty enough for us to be allowed to stay and finish our evening. Unfortunately we did pay our bill in full - minus service charge - but we certainly shouldn't have done. Before leaving feeling outraged at what we had just experienced, we went downstairs to the toilet level where we saw a handful of completely empty tables. Cay Tre and Viet Grill had a reputation for being the best Vietnamese in East London. The food is good but the severe lack of respect from the staff, who quite clearly are tasked with making as much money as possible in any way possible, will ensure we never return - and we will most certainly be spreading the word that they have sadly got too big for their boots. No restaurant survives on good food alone!

The service was so poor I am leaving this review. I would not usually leave a review. We were a table of 10. From the start when only half the table's order was taken I thought there would be trouble. Only some starters arrived to start off with. Some mains arrived before starters. Mains arrived while eating the starters. Orders for other tables. No staff member seemed to care. No one said sorry until we said that no one had said sorry. When the bill arrived, there was no gesture on the restaurant behalf. Only the usual 12 1/2% discretionary service charge, of which we had to ask to be taken off. Some of the food was okay, my lamb was tough and more onion than lamb. Rice was cold and as if pre bowled the day before. The bill was still £45.00 per head. Way to expensive for both the quality and of course service. Totally dissatisfied. I do not recommend this restaurant.

good food good service

We went for Viet Grill for late lunch yesterday, restaurant was busy at the time, hence the service was great, staff was friendly. Even though it's the first time we here, but waiter was showing their knowledge about the menu and Vietnamese Food and help us to combine all the dishes. Even though the portion is a little small, but tasted perfect. We definitely gonna come back.

Good food, but staff seem less attentive and polite, the portions are smaller and recently, we went for the afternoon tea option, £28 of various starters for two people between 3-6.00pm. When we ordered this, the waiter had no knowledge of this offer (which was on the menu) and talked us out of it because on his own admission, it was a method 'to get people through the door.' It transpired that all the staff and chefs were eating, and didn't want to cook it! Still good food, but after eating here for about 5 years, it's time to check somewhere else.

Poor, poor, service. Food unquestionably excellent, but as at Cay Tre, the kitchen is let down by the staff, and more recently the greedy management hiking prices and halving portion sizes. New manager Charles listened to comments and did nothing about them. A shame.

Nice atmosphere, but food is average. Maybe it was becuase we ordered the wrong combination but the dishes were all very oily. Also the waiter was not very friendly, was kean on taking the plates away eventhough we werent finished yet. Won't go back there!

I eat there weekly (I am a neighbour). Love it! Great meats, best duck curry (the sitting one), lots of other winners on the menu, affordable and well presented. Hardly ever have any issues with the service - only minor things. Ok you may have to sit on a table with another couple close by, but that seems to be part of the affordable Vietnamese. Anyway, sorry others seem to have a bad experience there, but I wouldn't let that keep you from going!

I asked for duck, they give me chicken. I asked for rice, they gave me beer, What the hell... They rushed me to eat chicken even though I didnt want chicken and im really upset. Did they not understand me? Im asian too.

Having tasted all the Vietnamese restaurants round Shoreditch, I had to try Viet Grill. It was very beautifully decorated, better than all the others I would have to say. However, when asked to be seated, we were forced to be seated with this other couple. I asked them if it was possible if we could move to another table, however the waiter just answered “No” and went away. I couldn’t understand why as there were plenty of seats as it was only 6pm. The waiters where very rude and when we started to order, they were very impatient with us and almost tried to rush us. I did not like this experience at all. The restaurant may have looked nice, although the staff where very unfriendly which is a complete downfall.