GAO Vietnamese Kitchen in Essen

Super restaurant , everything is so good ! They just need to be open more often

We went to GAO for lunch. It was delicious. We had miso soup, curry, and crunchy sushi. The selection is varied. We received quick and friendly service. They even asked us if we liked our food. My special sushi request was perfectly fulfilled. Upon request, I was able to charge my phone, and they even informed me of the charge status 😊 When I asked about my curry, they gave me excellent tips on the tofu they used, even telling me where to buy it. Conclusion: very friendly, very delicious! What we didn't like: the menus look pretty worn and could use replacing.

Great Vietnamese! Diverse menu, large vegan selection, very friendly staff

It was truly delicious! The waiter was also very friendly, but unfortunately my main course was forgotten, so we ended up sharing one main course between the two of us. I would still come back.

We were regular guests at this sushi restaurant and were always satisfied – until our last visit, which was unfortunately very disappointing and frustrating. We sat outside and ordered two sushi bowls and some sushi. My boyfriend had written down the desired numbers (including 150 and 152) and read them clearly to the waitress. However, after an unusually long wait, we were suddenly served curry instead of sushi. We politely pointed out the mistake to the waitress, whereupon she went back to the back, asked, and came back, saying that we had supposedly ordered exactly those numbers. We asked to see the menu and clearly showed her what we had actually ordered. Even when we explained that we had written everything down, she didn't respond – she even refused to look at the notes. What was particularly cheeky was how she said in a rude tone, "I wonder if this is our fault?" – instead of at least admitting the possibility that something might have gone wrong. The mistake was immediately passed on to us. Then a second waitress came and brought us the wrong food again, without checking or responding to our suggestions. Only when we made it clear that we weren't accepting the food was she reluctantly told us we wouldn't have to pay for it. The entire communication was disrespectful, uncooperative, and unprofessional. There was never any attempt to find a solution, but rather to evade responsibility. That's not how you treat paying guests. It was particularly disappointing, as we've always enjoyed visiting the restaurant frequently. But after this experience, we definitely won't be coming back.

Highly recommended. Very good food!

Good Vietnamese food. Unfortunately, the street is a bit noisy if you sit outside.

Very tasty, lunch menu at moderate prices, fast and friendly staff

Great food and very friendly service! We'll be back!

Small but delicious portions. The service is just incredibly slow. A quick dinner isn't possible here. Repeatedly asking if you'd like to pay is met with a rude response. If there's no tip for poor service, the mood is completely ruined, and you don't even get a farewell. :)

Delicious! But comparatively expensive and very loud, making it difficult to have a conversation.

Very nice restaurant, nice service and super good food

Totally great restaurant, nice, very courteous service, very tasty food!!

Anyone who likes Vietnamese cuisine or would like to try it is in good hands here. Friendly, attentive staff and very tasty food. Table reservations make sense.

This was my second time at Gao. Service and staff really good. However, it is far too loud for me and conversations at the table are rather tiring because you have to speak against the noise level. The quality of the food is very good, but I have the impression that the portions have become smaller.

Very good food. Very friendly service. Unfortunately a bit loud and usually full, don't forget to reserve ;)

The music bothered me and it's generally not cheap. My fish with vegetables, rice and salad consisted of >50% salad and very little fish, but it was tasty, as was the homemade iced tea. Second visit: The summer rolls aren't quite my cup of tea, but they're not fundamentally bad. The sauce that comes with it is delicious. Chicken curry was tasty, but the vegetables weren't really cut into bite-sized pieces and the curry was quite thin. The latter may be intended that way, but I would still prefer it to be creamier. Aside from the food, it's incredibly loud and quite cramped. Third visit: Gyoza as a starter were good and there was also very tasty homemade iced tea and also good fried noodles. Unfortunately nothing has changed in terms of volume and tightness. Fourth visit: The curry on the lunch menu is good, also in terms of price, but all components should be cut into bite-sized pieces, which is not the case. The music is dull in sound and disturbs the atmosphere. Glass straws for the iced tea would also be nice. Fifth visit: As always: food and drinks very good, but a bit loud and cramped. I can highly recommend the wonton starter. Sixth visit: I will no longer order the golden tofu and passion fruit lime drink. Seventh visit: Once again caught a table without lighting and although less than a third of the tables are occupied, it is a bit too noisy, but the wonton chien are still excellent. Fried noodles are ok, but I prefer the regular chicken meat to the baked and breaded one. Eighth visit: Cha gio tom starter good but wonton chien is better. Unfortunately, Golden Duck wasn't my cup of tea, but when I asked, I found out that there are glass straws.

Nice restaurant with top service and very good food - the curry is one of the best I've ever had!

Sushi really top notch, reservations without any problems and service quick and easy.

I love the food there! The atmosphere is great and great service. I can only warmly recommend it 🫶🏻

I think the price/performance ratio is pretty bad... The food was ok but really nothing special. We paid over €80 for 2 people... I don't have to go there again.

Very good cuisine. Always my pleasure.

Very tasty food and friendly service. The restaurant is also attractive. We'd love to come back. Unfortunately we didn't receive an invoice. The portions could be a little bigger.

I have to say that the quality of the food not good or fresh … The avocado were not fresh and hard and dark on the buttons… disgusting food

Food was super tasty 😋 I just found the service a bit intrusive in some places... you were asked twice if you were still eating or if you could clear up. Here you can just wait until your plate is empty or ask a maximum of once if you see that there has been something left for a while... but otherwise it's great local.

Very tasty food, very attentive and nice staff, nice and cozy atmosphere. Due to the location, finding a parking space can be difficult and, for my taste, the men's toilet could be a little more lit. And a table reservation is absolutely recommended!

The restaurant is characterized by its extremely fast and friendly service. They are extremely accommodating and the service is second to none. The food is equally excellent and it is always a pleasure to visit this Asian restaurant. Everything just fits and there is really nothing to complain about. I'm looking forward to the next visit, many thanks to the entire team for this high quality

Good lunch menu. The food was prepared quickly. The curry was delicious and the chicken was nice and crispy. Clear recommendation.

Oh, how beautiful! Great restaurant. Delicious food, good service. We spontaneously received a table. After that it got packed from around 6 p.m. We would love to come back 👍🏼

The food is very tasty but the staff is not very friendly.

Very very tasty food, great Vietnamese coffee. It was a successful evening

We visited the restaurant with high hopes, especially after hearing glowing recommendations about their duck dish. Unfortunately, the duck wasn’t available, which was a bit disappointing. However, the rest of the meal more than made up for it. We started with some delicious snacks—crispy spring rolls and fresh summer rolls packed with flavor. A perfect balance of crunch and freshness! For the main dish, we went for the pho soup, and it did not disappoint. The broth was rich, aromatic, and deeply satisfying, with tender meat and perfectly cooked noodles. It was clear that a lot of love and time had gone into crafting such a comforting dish. The atmosphere was laid-back and cozy, making it a great spot to unwind. The staff were friendly and attentive, ensuring we felt welcome throughout the evening. Bonus points for their excellent beer on tap, which paired surprisingly well with the food. Despite missing out on the duck, we left thoroughly impressed. Everything we tried was flavorful, fresh, and authentic. It’s clear this place takes pride in delivering a great experience. We’ll definitely be back to try the duck next time! Highly recommend for anyone craving great Vietnamese food!

I come here often, sometimes the food is great for 10 stars, sometimes not.

Our fav place in Essen, make sure to book in advance for the weekend:) overall, highly recommend: sushi dishes are fresh, bowls amazing, lemonades are great, too. Service is friendly, too.

UPDATE! The invoice difference has just been paid. Thank you very much for your honesty, Top👍🏻 I had dinner there with two friends on December 7th, 2024, the food was very tasty, unfortunately I had to wait forever to get chopsticks for the gyosas. We also waited forever for the bill and I realized afterwards that we had been charged something completely wrong and more expensive than what we had actually ordered. We had the fried noodles with chicken, Pho with chicken and our colleague even only had a kids menu because she was less hungry. 1 Ashai beer, 1 water and a small spritzer. At the end I had to take a quick photo of the "invoice" - there was no normal paper one. This is where I noticed it when the cash register fell at home. The food was still very tasty, but it matches what is on the bill. Attached pictures

The food tasted good. However, the portions are not, which is why we probably wouldn't eat there again.

Fantastic food, great service, good drinks! Reservation recommended.

Last week I ate at Gao's. Half the meal was onions cut into large pieces. And I found eggshells in the food. That hurt my teeth. 😢 It's a shame, the atmosphere was nice. But service and food were not that good compared to the prices.

Very good Asian restaurant with high quality food, served in a cozy atmosphere by very friendly and attentive staff! Clear recommendation!

Very nice restaurant with delicious food and nice atmosphere However, it was very, very loud and was quite annoying for a long time (but it was also busy) And quite expensive for small portions but very tasty.

Im Anschluss an ein Tasting haben wir dort gegessen. Für 5 Personen einige Tage vorher reserviert, großen Tisch für 7 Personen bekommen, nach dem Servieren der Getränke wurden wir aber an einen 5er Tisch umgesetzt! Vorspeise und Hauptgerichte sehr gut , Personal aufmerksam und sehr freundlich!

All around good. Super tasty, nice attentive service and beautiful location 😍

We were guests at the GAO on a Sunday at 7:30 p.m. The chicken dish seemed to contain 60% vegetables. Visually and taste-wise absolutely good. Annoying: From 9 p.m. everywhere, including at our table; The decorations have already been cleared away. The message "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here" was a bit too intrusive for me.

Great Vietnamese restaurant. The atmosphere is very inviting. Nice courteous staff. The food is authentic and of a very high standard. Good wine selection. Overall, a well-rounded affair, clear recommendation.

Absolutes No-Go ! Über Wochen im voraus reservierter Tisch für 6 Personen am Wochenende mit schriftlicher Reservierungsbestätigung wurde 2 Stunden vorher von GAO telefonisch abgesagt! Sorry, NICHT Empfehlenswert, absolut unzuverlässig und NICHT Kundenorientiert!

The food was really a taste experience and everything else was just right.👍

Very tasty, authentic Vietnamese food, nice atmosphere and friendly service staff.

This place was almost the highlight of my trip (besides Essen Spiel) Had 3 meals here. All were outstanding. Some of the best food I've had in a while. Gao bowl might have been my fav but it was hard to pick, Salmon Style was also wonderful in it's own way. The vegetables were almost the star of the show, they were cooked to perfection. Anyway, I will come back if I come to Essen again.

We came here spontaneously the last two evenings after the games fair. Despite the fact that all the seats were full and probably reserved, we were still kindly given a table for two. The staff is always very friendly, quick and polite. We were so impressed by the delicious food and the lovely atmosphere that we came back straight away today. We'll definitely be happy to come back after the next trade fair!

Very good Vietnamese food and large selection. Nice atmosphere and very crowded in the evenings. A reservation is recommended!

Great Vietnamese restaurant, the decor is great, the service staff was very friendly and attentive, great food tasted very good, we would like to come back, highly recommended.

I was here today with a friend and it was really delicious! We came early in the evening and got a great seat outside without a reservation. The food was super tasty and came quite quickly. We both ate a kind of bowl, it was something new, but very tasty, more often from now on 😍 The service was nice and friendly but unfortunately quite inattentive so that you often have to call out to get your attention... a bit annoying. All in all it was a great visit to the restaurant that I can recommend to everyone!! Gladly again! 😍👍🏻🫶

Very good, tasty food. We came here spontaneously and will definitely come back more often. The café brought back memories of days gone by.

An average Vietnamese. The lunch menu is very appealing, but there could be more vegetarian options. I don't really like the taste of most of the dishes, a little more seasoning and higher quality ingredients would be nice. At lunchtime it sometimes takes a little longer for the food to arrive, so you should allow some time. The atmosphere is very appealing and there is also the option to sit outside.

Wir waren auf Empfehlung dort und hatten Gott sei Dank einen Tisch reserviert. Es war ein Dienstag und trotzdem waren alle Tische besetzt. Das Essen war wirklich gut und die Portionen genau richtig. Wir hatten Sommerrollen, Gao Spezial Rollen, Bun Nem Chay, alles war köstlich. Bun Nem Chay hatte genialen Tofu und die Erdnusssoße zusammen mit Röstzwiebeln waren genial. Dort zu essen ist einfach klasse. Die Mitarbeiter waren alle sehr nett.

Loved the food there. Really friendly staff.

A totally convincing restaurant! I only had vegan dishes, tofu was very delicate, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, the vegetables were very delicate and the sauces were extremely tasty! Wonderful, fresh cuisine! Any time!!

Very tasty food, fresh and high-quality ingredients, good and nice service. The store is absolutely recommended.

I definitely recommend this cafe. The atmosphere is very pleasant and beautiful. The staff are attentive and polite. The food is delicious.

Authentic, delicious Vietnamese dishes prepared with great attention to detail. Service, price and ambience were right.

About the food: even 2 years after the first review: fresh and very, very tasty... the menu offers a good and varied selection of different dishes, as well as (in my opinion) a large selection of sushi. So there should be something suitable for everyone (vegan, vegetarian or with meat). The portions were plentiful and (I repeat 😅) very tasty - the meat was tender and the vegetables crunchy. Not cheap but not expensive either, just reasonable €€. The service is friendly and accommodating. The ambience is also nice and if you end up at a table for four, it is probably acoustically pleasant too. However, it is quite loud at the small tables because you can hear the neighbors' conversations at full volume... that's why one star is deducted. But otherwise really highly recommended.

Very pleasant experience. It's a pity I didn't get to try more dishes. GAO has a great offer in terms of Vietnamese menu and is very caring with the presentation. I had two starters: 🐟 Tuna tartar - slightly spicy, with a sesame toast on side, and very fresh. 🌿 Vegetables gyosa - fried, crunchy, and with a side sauce to balance everything. Also tried their homemade lemonade, but it was a bit too sweet for me.

Very tasty food, fresh, crunchy vegetables, very nice staff.😊😋

The service is always very friendly and competent. The food is excellent, no matter what you order. The boss and her team do an excellent job all around! We are always happy to come back! Absolute recommendation!!!

The food is very nicely prepared. The papaya salad is highly recommended, as are the specials. The pho is not very seasoned and is also expensive. Be sure to reserve as the staff doesn't really give out tables spontaneously.

Rarely have we experienced such friendly and competent staff and service. The boss is great and has really created a wonderful restaurant. The cuisine is sensational and the prices are too cheap for this high quality, fresh food. A regular guest.

Hello, Unfortunately, today's visit was a disaster. Very unfriendly service and, in my opinion, overpriced food. A dish for €25.90 had a large proportion of pasta, and only 2 very small scallops, 2 small pieces of salmon and 2 prawns, which were described on the menu as king prawns, which was definitely not the case. When paying, the "friendly waiter" made fun of it by saying, "Oh yes, you had the expensive fish." In my opinion it is a disgrace to be treated like a paying customer. I will no longer visit this restaurant.

My favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Essen.

Im Gao gibt es gute asiatische Küche. Essen und Getränke waren sehr lecker. Das Restaurant ist modern eingerichtet, die Bedienungen sind äußerst freundlich. Wir haben uns im Gao sehr wohl gefühlt und hatten einen netten Abend.

The food tastes simply delicious, there is a large selection and the atmosphere is really nice. The service is also very friendly and helpful.

Impeccable. Fast service despite being full. Starter, main course and the green iced tea were on point. I'm going here again.

Really recommended, incredibly good food...had Luklak Beef, really nice restaurant and very nice and attentive waiters. Top!

The restaurant is located at the very beginning of Rüttenscheider Straße and is really worth a visit. We had a large sushi plate and a main course each. The eye is definitely in this store. Really fresh and beautifully presented food. The waiters were very calm and courteous. We will be back!

Noisy, food ok, ambience affected by the extreme volume.

Long waiting time for the dish. Fortunately, the food stands up to its taste. You won't be able to get a table in the evening without a reservation.

Sushi is very tasty. In my curry dish, the sauce could perhaps have been a little thicker. Otherwise everything was great.

Nice location with a pleasant atmosphere. There are only deductions because of the prevailing volume, which at least makes it difficult to have a pleasant conversation. The food was delicious, the salad was also fresh with a light, fine dressing. The meat was okay, but like the vegetables it was more frozen. The whole thing was deliciously seasoned and served attractively. But for the price I expect something different.

Great Vietnamese! Great meals. Unfortunately the udon with salmon were taken off the menu, they were the best!!!

The food and dessert were delicious, Better food processing is no longer possible. Service was also extremely courteous, I can only recommend it.

Ambiance was nice, my curry was very very little, less than some lunches. And that for 18€. Tastes good, but definitely not worth the prices.

Very tasty food, very friendly staff and nice atmosphere. We felt very comfortable

I love GAO - modern Vietnamese food and very tasty sushi. I always like to come back 😊

Das Essen ist in Ordnung das Restaurant auch immer relativ voll und gut eingerichtet leider die Bedienung völlig verwirrt und kann gefühlt kaum deutsch und bei meinem Besuch gab es leider keine Cola light

Excellent! Good food, very nice and good service

Really good and authentic Vietnamese cuisine. Absolutely delicious. The Pho soup is outstanding.

Very tasty and very nice waiters. Price okay. Ambiance was actually nice, but very loud and we were sitting on the train

That was delicious!!!!!!! The service is 1A If I'm in Essen again, I will 100% eat here again! Keep it up.

Fast service. Nice atmosphere The food was very tasty

Das Essen schmeckt super und die Portionen sind groß. Der Service ist gut. Wenn das Restaurant gut besucht ist, ist die Geräuschkulisse sehr groß.

Einfach super unfreundliche Bedienung!!! Die schlecht gelaunte Bedienung war mir schon bei meinem ersten Besuch aufgefallen, aber auch beim zweiten Restaurantbesuch war sie nun wirklich krass unhöflich. Beispielsweise wurden wir - nach dem Hauptgang - als wir nochmal nach der Karte gefragt haben, darauf hingewiesen, dass das Restaurant in 40 min (!) zumacht...wir wollten nur noch einen Kaffee bestellen?! Als wir den Kaffee bestellt hatten, kam die Bedienung direkt mit einer Rechnung an, die wir noch gar nicht gefordert hatten, weil wir auch noch gar keinen Kaffee bekommen hatten. Zu dem Zeitpunkt wären es noch 30min bis zur Schließung gewesen. Mehr kann man Gäste ja nicht vergraulen... Wir sind nach dem Kaffee gegangen und werden nicht mehr wiederkommen. Schade, das Essen ist lecker.

Das Essen im Gao schmeckt sehr gut. Das Fleisch ist super zart und das Curry ist aromatisch und frisch. Das Ambiente ist schick, das Personal ist nett und aufmerksam. Wir gehen hier sehr gerne essen.

Das Essen war bei den bisherigen Besuchen sehr gut und frisch. Ich empfehle die Edamame, Ga Xien (wirklich leckere Erdnusssauce!) und die Udon Nudeln mit Lachs in Teriyaki Soße. Die hausgemachten Limonaden sind sehr erfrischend. Beim Service könnte man etwas aufmerksamer werden, was leere Gläser anbelangt. Sitzt man in Fensternähe, ist es etwas zugig. Man bekommt zwar auch spontan einen Tisch, es ist aber klüger zu reservieren.

Sehr gute vietnamesische Küche!!!

Auf jeden Fall vorher ein Tisch reservieren. Sehr lecker Das Essen dauert ein bisschen.

Essen hat gut geschmeckt, Portionsgrösse voll in Ordnung. Service war schnell und aufmerksam, reservieren war nicht notwendig (Wochenende, Mittagszeit). Preise nicht überteuert, ca. 25 p.P. Parken 500m am Marktplatz

Ich war jetzt schon öfters dort essen und bin immer wieder begeistert. Das Essen schmeckt super lecker und die Bedienung sehr schnell und mega freundlich. Wir kommen gerne wieder !! :-)

Essen sehr lecker und deren Preisleistung ist super.

Bazı vietnam yemeklerini menüde bulamadım. Ama mevcut yemekler güzel.

Gemüse mehr als Bissfest, Bedienung mehr als genervt bei der Neueindeckung von Besteck und der zweiten Getränkebestellung. Hatte etwas von Fastfood.

Leider sehr enttäuschend. Gemüse sehr bissfest, um Schärfe gebeten und Chilisauce erhalten aus der Plastikflasche. Am liebsten hätte man uns zum Hauptgang kein neues Besteck gegeben. Unsere Bedienung wirkte genervt, bezüglich zweiter Getränkebestellung. Fazit: Fast Food!