Mi La Cay

This is definitely a late review as it has been quite some time since I have dined at this restaurant, and I miss it all the time! If you enjoy spicy, flavorful, delicious Vietnamese food order the chicken and sweet potato vermicelli noodle soup. Trust me. It’s an unassuming restaurant in Wheaton located in a humble strip mall, but very much worth the trip. They offer a variety of Vietnamese Classics that consistently hit the spot. Do not expect a fancy restaurant, and do not expect exceptional warm service, but expect delicious Vietnamese food. Does get busy on the weekends, and is a neighborhood favorite so try to go during a late afternoon to avoid the crowds.

I have one or two of my favorite Vietnamese Restaurants near by my area. This place has some menu mainly similar to them, I had tried some popular Vietnamese food like grilled lemongrass with any kind of meat, I think it wasn't that bad but maybe it isn't my taste. Anyway when I want to get something is different, I might pick them because I am quite interested their dish that called "Crispy Maryland Chicken" and I like it, both portion and taste.

Food: We got the Crispy Maryland Chicken. Very savory and full of flavor. It was tender and juicy, highly recommend. Price: $16 Atmosphere: N/A, got takeout. But restaurant had a lot of seating and tables. Service: friendly and professional

The Roasted Quails were awesome! And the beef noodle soup with lemongrass was so great! Served super fast and staffs were friendly.

Oct 2023 We came here for dinner one night and the food was good while the service was so-so. There were about 4 or 5 waitstaff, most of them being young adults. They were friendly, but mostly seemed to hang out at the counter when not getting or delivering orders. We had to wave to get their attention and I had to remind them that I ordered a Thai Tea. Note they charge $0.75 per takeout box. There is a free parking lot both in front of and behind the building with a good amount of spaces available. This place takes up two units, with booths, booth-chairs, and tables that can hold 2-8 people depending on arrangement. The inside is decently lit and clean. There are two bathrooms, one marked unisex and the other marked women. Both are pretty large and handicap accessible (though no automatic doors). The bathrooms were clean and dry. All the food tasted good, though nothing amazing. The summer rolls were VERY sticky and loosely rolled. Note when you choose shrimp for the combo vermicelli noodles, you only get like, 2 pieces of average sized shrimp. They do give a good amount of chicken, pork, and beef though. Overall, ok food and ok service. Would probably not come again.

Fast service, clean, great taste of food w/ reasonable price. Ive ordered Bun bo hue and Summer roll. They were great.

First time being here. The grilled pork chop is on point: flavorful, tender and juicy. Everything is exactly what I need/want today.

P10 spicy is delicious! The hot slow drip is very good too! Edit: The P8 is so delicious and I loved the broth!

Very consistently great food and customer service. Very solid option for Vietnamese food. このお店がきっかけでベトナム料理が好きになりました。すごく美味しいしよく行きます。

Mi La Cay is great for Vietnamese cuisine in Wheaton. They have two of my favorite items, both of which are becoming increasingly hard to find--beef in grape leaves and crispy mi xao. Though I'm used to beef in betel leaves, I was thrilled when my boyfriend wanted to try this grape leaf version. It was well-seasoned and delicious. I loved my chicken and vegetable crispy mi xao. It was super flavorful and huge, even heating up well the next day. My boyfriend really enjoyed his com tam order. The staff is friendly and the restaurant is nice inside. We appreciated that they were open on a holiday and cannot wait to return.

Great Vietnamese restaurant with a reasonable price and quick service. For appetizers, we ordered spring rolls and summer rolls. While I wished the portion was a bit bigger for the price, the taste was solid. Especially the spring rolls were very fresh, not oily, and filled with meat and veggies. The summer roll was nicely rolled with sliced pork, vermicelli noddle, lettuce, and a tiny shrimp slice. The peanut sauce was very flavorful and went well with the roll. My grilled chicken Banh Mi looked better than the photo on the menu and exceeded my expectation, in particular, it was under $10. Tasty, flavorful grilled chicken and a decent amount of vegetables were loaded on the baguette. Crispy Maryland Chicken was way more vivid red/pink than on the menu's photo, so we thought it'd be super spicy, but it wasn't. The chicken was nicely marinated, crispy outside, and juicy inside. We only had a spoon and chopsticks, so it was a little bit difficult to break it down tho. Tomato rice was aromatic and a nice complement to the chicken. This place is pretty spacious and not too noisy. Easy and ample parking is also a plus.

Very solid Vietnamese food in Wheaton. Service is quick, prices are fair. We got the summer rolls, which had pork and shrimp and were pretty big. The peanut sauce had what seemed like toasted coconut shavings(?), but I wasn't a huge fan of the coconut. The pork vermicelli portion was huge. There was a lot of grilled pork, like enough to eat with every bite. I liked the vermicelli a lot. My husband got the beef pho, which he said was good, but the broth was a little sweeter than he likes (even after adding a lot of sriracha). He also likes when the beef comes rare and cooks in the broth, but I think it was already cooked when he got it. Overall, a good meal and we want to come back to try the banh mi and other dishes.

I wanted to like this place bc I needed a go-to Viet restaurant close to my place. Unfortunately the food they I ordered just didn't cut it. The Vietnamese banh xeo bottom was soggy due to so much oil and you could say it was bc I did takeout and it wasn't fresh when I ate it, but nope. I ate it within few mins of walking to an outdoor table. I've had banh xeo from another restaurant in the area and have done takeout so many times. I've eaten those when I got home & the bottom was never so soggy. Also why is the peanut sauce so tangy and sweet? It's just very off. Overall the inside restaurant was nice and clean and the staff was friendly. But don't think I can come back.

I always come to mi la cay because I love the flavor, I live nearby and it's overall a nice ambiance. However I've noticed that recently the protein portions on the pho have gotten really small. I ordered a pho Thai today with a side of spring roll for 24.89$ tip included and I got three little pieces of meat in the pho. I was very disappointed because usually this place is generous but today they skimped my plate, I felt like it was a bowl of water. No meat... For 25$ I could go anywhere and get a full plate of protein. Very disappointing. Did not expect this from them

I used to live this place 10 years ago, but I just went since I was in the area. This is mediocre strip mall fare, and the broths are so so. Staff are fine. We had beef, chicken, and veggie broth. Beef is best. Veggie tastes like overboiled broccoli

Very pleased with the Banh mi sandwich bought here. I could tell by the weight when I picked it up that it was going to be a hearty sandwich and it was. Toasted bread, grilled chicken and all the pickled vegetables and sauces. This was a complete Banh Mi sandwich and I had no complaints about it. Reasonably priced and quick service. I could eat one of these every day.

The food was really good and different from other Vietnamese restaurants I've been to. The service was friendly and helpful. The ambiance was basic. My favorite dish was the Maryland Chicken. I've never had anything like this. The summer rolls were small, but tasty. The pad Thai was made differently from what I am used to, but it was delicious. Liked the fish balls in the dish. The banh mi sandwiches were small, but tasty. Had the pork and grilled chicken. The 3 meat combo plate was worth trying also. I would eat here again.

Great service, prices are up but still reasonable. They have so much to choose from it's hard to decide what to have !!! Everything I have had is good! My lunch hotspot!

Friendly service, water refilled 3 times so staff very attentive..ambiance good, clean spacious restaurant...overall everything was seasoned with a heavy hand with the sugar...pad Thai too sweet with no tamarind flavor, rice noodles had weird powdery texture like it wasn't rinsed after cooking or not enough water in pot when cooking noodles...we had to ask for more lemons to tone down the level of sweetness on other dishes ordered...would not come back

Great food but portion is abit too small. the service here is good. The soup of pho is definitely superb with flavors, and the beef in pho are also are tender and flavorful. however the portion of a large mi la pho is too small for $16 w/o tax. its mostly the big bowl of broth. Prob come again and ordering other stuff on the menu.

The food is very fresh and made with good quality ingredients. The flavor is bold and robust of the meats and sauces. The service was swift and the food was made to order which is appreciated. The ambiance is average and feels like a traditional Asian restaurant from the 90's. Will come back for great food and service.

Mi La Cay has the best pho ga I have tasted. Their other food is good too. The service is friendly and fast. It's my favorite Vietnamese restaurant.

Mi La Cay is a great spot for families and larger groups and the service is fast and attentive. I got the chicken curry and was expecting a Japanese/viet fusion of sorts of traditional curry and lemongrass, fish sauce, and chili. But it wasn't really that. Its more a diluted curry with a hint of fish sauce and lots of salt and sugar? But lacks umami depth. It's very sweet, perhaps from the sweet potato and also had way too much bean sprouts and wilted greens in the soup for my taste. It also had a mealy/gritty texture. I liked how they used dark meat for the curry but otherwise don't think I will order this again. Was worth trying tho! This spot is def worth the visit but with the basics here as in pho, bun noodles, and coffee (so so good).

I've always been biased, mi over pho almost any day of the week. Overall I don't like Vietnamese food in DMV, but I love Mi La Cay. The most solid egg noodle soup in a lighter pork broth, that goes down so damn clean. Plus the in house fried donut/breadstick takes me back to childhood or my time working in the Bay Area. You can either get nuoc/the whole bowl of soup, or kho/dry style with a small bowl of soup on the side. Think of it like a less fried chow mein, I preferred that as a kid but will flip flop between both in a given week. There are certainly other Vietnamese staples that are kickass, such as the crispy noodles/mi xao don. Surprisingly I don't like the pho here - something about the broth tastes off to me, but again you went to a mi place to eat pho, that's on you. Driving to the parking lot can be a little jank - depending on what direction you come from you might have to take a weird U-turn at the light before you can come into the lot. But 100% it's worth it. You don't even have to like Viet food - if it's a cold ass rainy day and you need some hot soup, Mi La Cay is my go to. In sickness and in health - that phrase probably goes with something else, but definitely with their noodle soups!

Took my grandma out for a late dinner and was so glad we came here. I go here every now and then, but I totally forgot how delicious and affordable their food is. They offer noodles, rice dishes, bánh mì and apps that are fairly price. Entrees are from $10-15 which is great for the portion sizes. Everything I've gotten there has been good and portions are generous. You can also get che, or bạnh mis to-go. Additionally, they have a smaller parking lot in the front which seems to always been enough for their patrons.

Soo good. No frills, tasty food and nice people. I will be returning for the banh xeo

I'm convinced this Mi La Cay has the best grilled pork in the DMV, and I've eaten my fair share from Arlington to Rockville. The pho is good, too, though it's the bahn mi that keeps me coming back.

Sorry, Mi La Cay, that was probably my last visit. I've been coming since it opened. Post Covid (I'm so glad they made it through) it's not quite the quality I remember. Today, I got a watered down version of the wrong order and a frozen bun.

I love their Vietnamese soups, but the bun Bo hue is fishier than I'm used to, which is why I gave the 4 stars. But the service was fast and professional. Definitely will be back to eat a pound the menu based on the hu tieu I had.

Quality, flavorful food for solid price. Fast service. Bigger portions than expected.

Nothing really special. My friend has been suggesting this place for a while as she lives close and constantly gets food here. She was stating how the food lately has been very inconsistent and they also got her to go order wrong as well I got a spicy noodle soup and I asked for extra spicy and it wasn't spicy at all. The meat has such great flavor to it but everything else was pretty good. They forgot our appetizers and we had to ask 3 times for a box. For it being slows that night and a ton of employees standing around it seemed as though no one really cared.

Rating may go up as I try more things. I was trying to behave so I ordered spring rolls and the appetizer chicken salad. The appetizer chicken salad is big enough for a meal. It's quite tasty and actually has a bit of heat buildup from the chili peppers. I won't say it's my favorite Vietnamese dish of all time but if I want to be healthy it definitely adds to the choices. I don't know why more Vietnamese places don't offer a "less rice/noodle/bread" option. It's the main reason I don't eat more Vietnamese than I do. (I like rice / noodles / bread, but for health reasons need to eat them more sparingly than they typically are served with Vietnamese food. ie. 1/4 of the volume not 3/4 of the volume.) I also had the vietnamese iced coffee, which is a big splurge for me. I love it, but it wires me and condensed milk is so high calorie. Honestly, theirs was on the better side of ok. The balance was a bit off from how I prefer it, but it wasn't bad coffee at least. I'm not sure I enjoyed it quite enough to spend the calories again on it though. I had a bite of my husband's grilled pork (he got bun) and it was delish. I would eat a plate of just that and veggies if it were an option to do that. We will definitely be back!

My hairdresser raved about this place so I had to make the trip. And it was good. Maybe I was expecting too much. It was good. I would go back. It did not change my world.

Craved some bun bo hue on a cold snowy day. Was pretty hungry so I got some egg rolls as well but they call it spring rolls. The egg rolls were delicious, they came with pickled cabbage and carrots. They were meaty and crispy. The bun bo hue was alright. Decent flavors but no depth. Towards the end it got a little salty. They gave a good amount of meats and veggies. The last few places I've had bun bo hue, they haven't given me the right fresh veggies. Everything is fairly priced for what they give. Service was good and music was good as well.

Minimal decor, inexpensive prices, big portions and great food. Highly recommend by a Vietnamese friend for the sandwiches, and I read some Yelp reviews to learn about other traditional Vietnamese dishes before I went. We ordered 5*Roasted Quail--roasted quail was so crispy that we could eat the bones. It was served with lettuce, pickled carrots, cabbage, salt & pepper sauce and lime juice. The sauce was great, but the roasted quail was delicious with or without the sauce. 4*Bun Bo Hue: a popular Vietnamese rice noodle dish with sliced beef, pork knuckles, pork blood and spam meat. It came with a plate of bean sprouts, mints, and jalapeño. The soup base had a mix of spicy, salty and lemongrass beef flavors. 4*Curry chicken with vermicelli noodles served in spicy curry soup with chunks of chicken and sweet potatoes. Mildly spicy with a sweet taste. 5*Bahn MI Pork: they made really good sandwich, especially the pork sandwich not the chicken one though. Much better than American sandwiches. 3*Crispy Maryland Chicken: it is a very popular dish, but pretty dry. I asked several time how they made the rice red. I was told it was a secret. I wouldn't dare to eat food with so much coloring. 3*Beef Grape Leaves: solid filling and pretty good with the sauce. 2*Grilled Shrimp: I wouldn't order it again. It tasted funny. Nothing special. 2*Crispy/Soft Egg Noodles with Seafood: I wouldn't order it, it's nothing special. 3*Pho #1: typical pho.

As someone who's been going to Mi La Cay since I was young, it's safe to say that this place holds a special place in my heart. Located in the DMV, this warm and welcoming Vietnamese restaurant serves up some of the best pho I've ever had. But that's not all they offer, the tomato rice, bahn mi, bun bo hue (spicy broth), and curry are just a few of the other delicious dishes on their menu. What I love about Mi La Cay is that everything always tastes fresh. The soup is hot and packed with flavors from the fresh herbs and spices. The noodles have the perfect amount of chewiness, and the veggies are always crisp. The staff is also friendly, chill, and always on their game. They know the menu inside and out, and they're always happy to help you decide on what to order. Plus, the service is incredibly fast, so you can get in and out quickly if you're in a rush. In addition to the amazing food and service, Mi La Cay also has a great ambiance. The restaurant is cozy and has a warm, inviting feel to it. It's perfect for a casual lunch or dinner with friends and family. The decor is simple, and the tables are always clean and well-maintained. Overall, the ambiance at Mi La Cay adds to the overall dining experience and makes it a great spot to relax and enjoy some delicious food. Overall, if you're looking for an authentic and delicious Vietnamese dining experience, you have to check out Mi La Cay. Whether you're a fan of pho or you're looking to try something new, their menu has something for everyone. Don't miss out on this spot - it's truly a gem in the DMV.

I come here frequently. I love their banh mi - and regularly order them regularly - the grilled pork and the cold cuts are my favorites!!! The pho is good, and the banh xeo is okay (I'm picky I know). I don't think i've had the others, but I always tend to get these three things. I would need some recs to try something else. I think it's that I love pho and banh mi so much that it's hard to not want to eat those!! One day I'm sure I'll venture out and try the others!

I'm super late to the game but finally got to try Mi Lay Cay. We didn't try the pho but instead tried their rice dishes including the famed Maryland Chicken. I got the R4 (this was ok, meat was a little too sweet for my liking) and the che which was super good! The real stars here though are their banh mi!!! I've gotten one of each meat including the tofu and hands down this is the best banh mi in Wheaton. The bread is super crispy yet soft, and they are a lot more generous with their fillings than other places. My family's favorite are the grilled beef fillings and my vegetarian friends enjoyed their spicy lemon grass tofu. The banh mi are also super affordable if you're on a tight budget. Overall, while I wasn't a major fan of the rice dishes, I think this place is worth the trip if you have a craving for banh mi and don't want to travel down to VA. The restaurant has plenty of parking in the front but there's also parking in the back if it gets full up front.

Delicious food. Wide range of menu items. Very reasonably priced. This is my family's go to Vietnamese restaurant. Staff have always been polite and professional.

This is my first time here and I decided to give it a try because of the high stars. I wish I were in agreement but it was not great. These days, eating out is expensive so a bad meal really stings. I always stick to basics at new places to minimize risk so I got the crispy spring rolls, which were really good. They didn't come with lettuce for rolling but they did have some pickled cabbage and carrot which is a nice balance to the fatty spring roll. I would definitely order this again. Unfortunately, the pho didn't hit the mark at all. I got Pho Tai and the broth was very dark brown, not fragrant or flavorful. It tasted a bit like beef broth out of a can or box and not enough aromatics. There wasn't much meat in it either (and I'm not expecting a lot to begin with because it's pho.) I wouldn't order this again. Maybe I need to try the mi dishes because it is called "Mi La Cay."

Very yummy !!! Dry noodles is Cambodia food style!! This restaurant own by VN mix Cambodia!!

I found this restaurant from Yelp. The restaurant is larger than I expected. It was very crowded. There are many tables for different size of groups. I had Special Pho. The broth was delicious and rich. The meats were fresh and tender. My husband had special rice combo. He said it was delicious and yummy. The grilled meat was fresh and tender. We will definitely come back to visit when we are in town.

Yummy, my parents are picky, traditional Chinese/taiwanese. They love the Maryland Chicken!

We were in town to visit our family and decided to check out this restaurant. We were surprised by how crowded the restaurant was. The table was cleaner than expected. Friendly staffs and quick service. My wife who ordered the Phở Đặc biệt P8 and I ordered the Cơm tấm bì sườn chả R4. According to my wife, the pho was better than other restaurants and more noodle and meat as well. Mine was great and the sườn (grilled pork chopped) was a bit hard to chew, but very flavorful. We will revisit this restaurant near future.

Great place for pho! Probably the best of the many restaurants I've dined in. Laid back and relaxing. I'll be back.

This is a hole in the wall spot in Wheaton that is so worth the trip. The pho is amazing and everything comes out super quickly and the prices are very reasonable.

Everything I've ordered I've enjoyed, whether it be carry out or dine in. The staff is always friendly and food is ready promptly. Always my "go to" place.

I ordered a soup...it was so long ago that I don't remember the name of it. I DO remember that it was lackluster and it had cucumbers in it. I was so annoyed. I don't like hot cucumbers.

Update as of October 2021.. I initially thought this restaurant was under new management, but it was actually with new staff, however management is still the same!! Still accepts both cash and credit card. Due to COVID, its been tough on businesses especially those local mom and pop businesses such as this. I must say that their food has been great. From their pho soups to the appetizers, to their drinks.. You can never go wrong with their food. I recommend their P1 of their which consist of most of the meats except the meatballs. If you are super hungry, definitely ask for extra noodles. Their Pad Thai is also good. It normally comes spicy, but if you have people who can't eat spicy food, you can ask for no spice on any dish. We also ordered their egg noodles with seafood. Decent portion and comes with a variety of protein and veggies. They also add bean sprouts to add a crunch factor to the dish. Overall, I highly recommend my fellow Yelpers give this place a try. As of October 2021, they do offer in-door dining.

This place is closest I have had to the Pho I had Vietnam. Always start with an order of summer rolls. They taste fresh and go perfectly with the peanut sauce. Beef broth is rich and deep with flavor. Large bowl is great for me but is large. I usually get the meat balls, brisket, and tendon.

Great pho and other dishes. Service was good. It's a great lunch place. The food comes out fast.

I can't believe it has been so long since I have last visited this place. I use to be a weekly customer but have since moved away from the area. I thought Mi la Cay might have lost it charm or the food would be different, but is happy to report it is pretty much the same. This is hands down my favorite place for Bun Bo Hue! I go to a lot of Vietnamese restaurants and I am always disappointed, but mi la cay seems to hit the spot. They do not seem to tone down the shrimp paste or the spicy to cater too much to the western palate (although they will make it less spicy if you ask). The curry noodle was good as well and spicier than I remembered, but just as good. Glad I got an ice coffee to wash it down. Service was good and prices are reasonable. Definitely worth a visit.

I don't know if it's the best Pho I've had cause I've had a lot. It was definitely delicious and I will be coming back!

I used to come here regularly. I came today after a several years hiatus. What happened??? I ordered Mi Bo Kho, which used to be spicy and complex and delicious. Today it was so unbelievably sweet. Like a bowl of sugar soup. I couldn't taste any of the usual aromatics like lemongrass or star anise. It just tasted of onions, garlic , and TON of sugar. The beef, which should have been fall apart tender, was so tough it was actually crunchy! The noodles in the soup were over-cooked as well. Very sad I wasted money on this. Noticed the owner speaking instruction to the kitchen in Spanish, so I guess the cooks are not Vietnamese anymore. Perhaps this has impacted the food quality.

I'm obligated to like Viet cuisine because of my wife (she's Viet-American). There are many dishes I've grown to love over the years. Once you've eaten the gateway dish Pho, Vietnamese cuisine is incredibly complex and intoxicating. Mi La Cay is one of the noteworthy establishments in the laundry list of Viet restaurants in and around our area. The staples they do exceptionally well (pho, banh mi, bun bo hue, viet coffee, and many others). There are a verity of dishes on their menu, but one of my favorites is tomato rice chicken (gá da dón). The chicken is always incredibly crispy and the rice punches well above an accompaniment to the dish. Mi La Cay is consistently ranked and rated as one of the better Viet offerings in our region. It almost always ranks high on all the local best places to eat lists. Their a family run establishment and are a great custodians of Viet cuisine. In my humble opinion, this place deserves a Bib Gourmand ranking.

Food and service are always excellent. Low key atmosphere, very relaxing place for good food with friends and family.

Amazing pho and summer rolls! Ordered take out this evening from this hidden gem. The quality of broth and meats are really good. The service was fast and food was amazing. Will definitely order from them again.