Lime and Basil

Heartbreaking. Bun is my favorite go-​to comfort food. I was so happy to see a place open up in Chapel Hill. We just moved here from LA and I miss Gingergrass terribly. Sadly, there’s no comparison here. The grilled pork was rubbery and there was a just a sprinkling of sad shredded greens with my noodles (which were served on a plate). The usual zing of vinegar that comes from the side of sauce left my noodles and pork bland.
The final insult was my iced Vietnamese coffee that tasted like barley tea it was so weak even after steeping till our food came.
Everything is more expensive than you’d expect as well. $ 9 for a noodle bowl is pretty high when it’s just pork and noodles.
I hope they turn it around cause I’d love to go back.

Typical phở place on Franklin St. It was a chilly evening so my boyfriend and I decided that phở would be nice. We came on a Tuesday evening and it was packed (6pm ish). The wait was long so we were super hungry by the time we got to our table. The phở is pretty ordinary. I love beef flanks in my phở and was disappointed that they only have fatty flanks (I like to minimize my consumption of animal fat) and no regular flanks. On top of that there wasnt enough noodles in the soup for me to be fully satisfied– so I had to order another phở dish.
However, the pork rice dish was great! They were very generous with the pork amount and the meat was not too chewy and was very flavorful.

Always come to visit when it is cold outside for their phở.
Phở: I always order the phở with shanks, briskets and tendons, which are not often served in nearby restaurants. Soup is not too bland or too salty, I always add limes to the bowl.
The phở is very hot when you first receive it, which is great for adding the extra ingredients and there are a lot of meat and a lot of noodles. They also offer take out box for you to take home leftovers. The portion is usually large enough to be 2 meals for me. The service is good on non-​busy day, it is a smaller restaurant, but you usually get seating within 15 minutes.
Bubble tea: it is a «frozen» bubble tea, it is really really bad, I would give this a 2 star. The tapioca balls are very hard to chew on and taste bad.

Went here with my parents and sis, and I would like to give a review!
The Place: ⁴⁄₅. Quite clean, actually this place is cleaner than few other Vietnamese restaurants I’ve ever visited.
The Service: ⁵⁄₅. The waiter who served us is really nice, he even wrote all our requests (no cilantros, no onions etc) and serve our orders perfectly!
The Food: ⁴⁄₅. I ordered Phở with Eyeround and Meatballs. The broth is good; not too salty nor too bland. The meatball is perfect, so does the eyerounds! However, the noodle is a little bit overcooked, but it doesn’t really affect the taste.
I would like to go back here someday!

My co-​worker was craving phở, so we had dinner here on a Friday night. I went with the tofu banh mi, which comes with a side of phở broth and a house salad or spring roll. The banh mi was okay — better than the so-​called «banh mi» at Ms. Mong, but not up to par with other banh mi I’ve had. My main critique would probably be the bread – it was good bread, but not the slightly crunchy kind I like for banh mi! Overall, the banh mi was decent, and also only $ 5 if you do carryout. My co-​worker liked her beef phở, so I will likely return to try their phở. I have been spoiled with amazing Vietnamese food in San Francisco, so I may just be chasing for a rainbow that doesn’t exist here in the triangle… but a’las, my search for banh mi continues!

Man, I really wanted to LOVE this place, but after a couple visits… 3 stars.
Bahn mi = good.
Saigon Street Noodles («Bun») = not so good.
Phở = still TBD
My review is not complete until I try the phở. So I will be back.
However, a quick note on that bland and overpriced dish, the Saigon Street Noodles.
They were really bland. Extra fish sauce didn’t help. Sriracha didn’t either. At $ 11, it’s a shame.
And hey, before you accuse me of noodle bashing, know this — I’ve had «bun» dozens of times from dozens of restaurants. And, by far, this was one of the most disappointing versions to date.
Perhaps it’s just the wrong dish to order here?
Maybe. But a quick scan of the reviews reveals that people generally love it here. And that puzzles me.
I will complete this review after one more visit. After I can get my hands on some phở…
To be continued.

Food is great, they don’t split checks if your party is more than 6, the manager first refused to talk to us which was very rude.
Great food, horrible service

Always such a long long wait for lunch. Took many visits there to figure out what is good on the menu.
Saigon street noodles is always my go to dish with extra fish sauce on the side. Yumm~~ there special is also very good with lemongrass pork chops, I always get it with noodles instead.
The phở is always been disappointing and quality varies depend on when you go there. The later the day you go, the more water down the soup tastes… not really that good, I tried to give them couple tries, but I really don’t think I will get it again.
Bubble tea is okay… but not really fresh, just powered stuff.

As an LA native who grew up with a Viet stepfather, I have to say I’m IMPRESSED with how authentic the Phở is here. The soup is very flavorful and the meat and vegetable add ons are pretty standard to most Viet restaurants. The price is incredibly reasonable as well. There’s nothing like a warm soup bowl of phở on a cold rainy day !!!
If you want to try something different, I would also recommend the Saigon House Noodles and House Special Noodles. They’re more of a classic Vietnamese dish that is not as widely known. I have honestly not had anything from their menu that I do not like.
Btw, they also do pick-​up orders :)! Hopefully, they’ll add in delivery one day.

By far my favorite Vietnamese restaurant in Chapel Hill for years now. As the weather starts to get cold again, phở from Lime and Basil is the perfect meal. The second you walk into Lime and Basil the amazing smells overwhelm you and make you so excited for the food you are about to eat. The portions are huge for a good price so there’s always leftovers. The food is extremely flavorful and I’ve never been disappointed with my order. You have to start off with the summer rolls. They are packed perfectly in the rice paper and the peanut sauce is so amazing I literally make sure there is not one drop of sauce left in the cup. The street noodles are my to go to order since you get a little bit of everything: a spring roll, meat, shrimp, noodles, more peanuts, and all the flavors you could want in a dish. It’s delicious! The phở broth is incredible. It is always so warm and filled with endless noodles and meat. The sweet and spicy sauces are a great touch to add to the meats in the phở. The bowl is huge too. You really can’t ask for more in a dish!
I can’t give Lime and Basil a 5 rating simply because of their terrible service. You would think after being open and crowded for several years now, they would get the hang on how to wait on customers, but they haven’t. There is no hostess so you are never greeted when you walk in the restaurant and it usually takes several minutes for someone to finally walk to the front and get you seated. They really need to improve on this aspect of their business.

I was a bit skeptical about this place bc it only had 3.5 stars but it turned out to be really good!
Service:
We had dinner at 630. My friend waited 5 – 10 mins to get us a table. It was fairly packed for a Wednesday night. In fact– all the tables were occupied! Service was pretty quick! Food came out relatively quickly! They were pretty busy so it was a bit hard at times to flag down the waitress to get water– but understandable bc how busy they were.
Food:
spring rolls are a hit or miss and with their three stars I was sure t wouldn’t be all that good, but they were actually pretty tasty! My friend had the shrimp and pork one and said she’s had better, but I really liked my tofu spring rolls! They added sliced Roma tomatoes in it and that gave it a different texture and freshness. The tofu slices could’ve been a bit thicker but there was enough for each bite! Portions are also pretty big! Friend couldn’t finish her phở! My husband and I both ordered vermicelli dishes. He ordered pork and I ordered grilled chicken. My chicken was lean and full of teriyaki flavor. My husbands pork was a bit fatty so he had to cut the fat off, but he seemed to enjoy his dish as much as I had!
Glad we gave this place a shot!!!

I used to attend UNC, and this was the GO-​TO spot for my friends and me during our Freshman and Sophomore years. With that being said, I think it’s OK– not terrible but not spectacular either.
Don’t get me wrong– the food here is pretty good. I love the Saigon Street Noodles, House Special Combo, and Curry. The Saigon Street Noodles has a good mixture of flavors and textures, crunchy and soft, sweet and salty. The phở here is OK. I do like the combination phở, since it has a variety of meats. However, it’s not the best in the Triangle area by far. The broth lacks a lot of flavor, which is one of my favorite aspects of phở. Still though, if you’re on Franklin Street and want a nice bowl of phở, Lime and Basil is an acceptable place to go. The bubble tea here is not my favorite either, although it’s still not bad.
The ambiance here is really nice, actually. The entire inside is a nice green (not like an obnoxious green– this is much more subtly), and there’s a good amount of mood lighting as well. The service here is ok, but they can’t split checks of parties greater than 6 people, which is kind of annoying. Still a decent place to get Asian food on Franklin. Vegetarian options are also available.

I’ve been going here for over 9 years now for my Vietnamese food fix. While the look and menu items have changed over time, the quality and taste of the food never does. My go-​to appetizers include the summer rolls and if you’re feeling fancy, the house special summer rolls. The house special rolls are filled with the famous grilled pork and a crunchy, fried spring roll in the middle. Add some sriracha to the peanut sauce for an extra kick. Delicious.
You can’t go wrong with any of the entrees here, but I usually get the phở dac biet (hold the tripe), the grilled bbq pork chops, or the house special combo. You’ll find that the phở broth here is a lot less fatty than other places, but extremely flavorful. The grilled bbq pork chops are divine — each bite is sweet, salty, and smoky. If you want some variety, you can get the house special combo which comes with a smaller portion of the pork chops with pork skin, an egg loaf, and a fried egg.
Come hungry because the portions can be large (or the perfect size if you’re a glutton like me). A lot of the waitstaff are college students, but deliver better service than restaurants with seasoned servers. You can tell the manager really cares about the quality of the food and service here which always keeps me coming back.

Very small operation, but you are in for a treat. The phở hoa is great. Well balanced flavors and an interesting mixture of shrimp, pork, meatballs and tiny scallops. The noodles are awesome and like I said, well s seasoned. The price is great. The best of all is the great service. Bruce staff is extremely attentive and kind. Extremely refreshing staff. I will definitely go there again.

I love Lime and Basil. By far the best Vietnamese noodle restaurant in the triangle area. I’ve been here multiple, multiple times and have enjoyed most of the meals starting from appetizers (summer rolls) to dessert (honeydew/​mocha boba tea). Whenever you need some noodles or something hot to satisfy that mysterious craving, their phở is a sure bet. The chicken, beef, and seafood phos are absolutely delicious that makes my mouth water even thinking about it. Along with the great tasting broth and noodles, they give generous amounts of meat compared to other phở restaurants. The lemon-​grass meat entrees are delicious as well, although I think they overprice the item for the amount that they actually give. I would stay away from the chicken curry and the banh mi (good, but not as good compared to other menu items). But if you want it, you won’t be disappointed by it.
Service is nothing spectacular, but nothing to revile. A lot of waiters come and go, but the team there as of recently have all been nice and friendly.
I would definitely recommend this place for those visiting the area and for those just simply looking for a good meal. Looking forward to eat here within… the next couple of days.
Anyone else craving Phở all the sudden.

Wonderful phở on a cold day and rainy day. Summer rolls are delish. Get the coffee drink it was so strong and sweet. Prices were resonable and friendly server. Parking was kind of a nightmare but we managed to find a place after a few turn arounds. My phở was amazing meat was soft and the broth was light. If we ever go to this area again we will stop in.

This place is a decent Vietnamese restaurant to go to, since it’s the only one on Franklin St. It’s really convenient for UNC students.
Their Phở is decent and it’s enough to have leftovers. I personally always get the Saigon Street Noodles. It comes with lemon grass pork, 3 pieces of jumbo shrimp, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, carrots, and bean sprouts. It’s broth-​free but I still really enjoy it. It’s great with some Sriracha and hoisin sauce. Also, I love their Summer rolls! It’s a quick enjoyable appetizer that I usually get that.
Their service is okay. It’s not that great during prime dinner time. Sometimes I have to ask for things more than once but the waiters/​waitresses are usually really nice.
Definitely a place to go on Franklin Street! It’s pretty popular!

First off, don’t come here with a large group during the busy hours. The tables are small, so unless you have a party of 2, it can take FOREVER to get a seat! I visited this place for lunch as a party of 3, and the wait was so long, we were on the fence about staying. This is one of the best places for phở in the Triangle, and they offer a variety of phở combinations, amongst other Vietnamese dishes. If you choose beef broth, like I did, then you have the option of selecting 3 types of beef cuts for $ 8, or you can select 4 or more types of beef cuts for just 50 cents more. There’s a list of combos for you to choose from if you’re unsure what to order, or if you’re like me and tend to forget what each of the types of beef cuts refer to. I went with eye round, brisket, and tripe, and it was good! Only one size available, and each bowl comes with cilantro, red onions, and scallions. As usual, the phở also comes with bean sprouts, lime, basil, and jalapeños. Also, the menu states that no MSG is used.
Come here for the phở, that’s what everyone orders. I saw someone with banh mi, and the bread looked absurdly albino. Banh mi is supposed to be a slightly golden color from being lightly toasted, not as white as a polar bear! Highly questionable. They also offer a frequent buyer’s card for people who enjoy bubble tea, but the bubble tea here is the slushie version, not the liquid type.

3.5 stars! I’ve been here twice with coworkers on a weekday. The first time we came the restaurant was packed and we had to wait 20 minutes to be seated which was not expected for the type of food we were coming in for but we wanted to wait it out to have some Vietnamese food. Second time, we got seated immediately and served fairly quickly. Our waitress the second time was kind, funny, and checked up on us just the right amount.
My order was the vegetarian curry, and it was average at best. When I’m comparing vegetarian curries I’ve had before it satisfied but there was more broth then veggies. I had about 6 pieces of tofu and 5 piece of potatoes. I would have liked to have a little more veggies in my vegetarian curry. My coworkers enjoyed their meals — they ordered grilled lemongrass chicken, grilled lemongrass shrimp, and bibimbap. I think I’ll go with an order of the phở or one of the rice dishes next time… if we do decide to stop by here again.
Parking is difficult because it is right off of Franklin, but there is a parking garage right near Old Chicago and some street parking when available.

Went here the other night with a friend, I got the shrimp summer rolls & lemongrass pork vermicelli and she got the veggie phở. The summer rolls were very fresh. The pork was tender and flavorful. The phở lacked a bit of flavor but I suppose that’s to be expected with a vegetarian phở. For what it was it was good. Everything was fresh and tasty. I’m giving 4 stars because unfortunately the service we received wasn’t very good. Our waitress neglected us the entire time and we had to get someone else for refills/​needs. Also, they charged us extra for veggies in the vegetarian phở (?!) which she did not mention when we ordered.
Overall, this is a nice little place with good Vietnamese food. Just disappointed with the service we were given!
Update:
Went back again, food was great and service much better!!!